Pakistan, March 18 -- The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that a biological father is legally responsible for financially supporting a child born out of wedlock or as a result of sexual assault, provided paternity is established through recognized methods.

The court emphasized that under the law, once paternity is confirmed, a biological father cannot evade financial responsibility. The ruling was issued in a case concerning the maintenance of a minor girl, whose mother accused Muhammad Afzal of raping her in 2020, leading to her pregnancy and childbirth.

An FIR was registered against Afzal under Sections 376 (rape) and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code. The mother later approached the court seeking child support, asserting th...