How to Register a Divorce in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Form Q, Documents and the 90 Day Rule
Register a talaq or khula in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at your village or neighbourhood council: Form Q, the documents, the 90 day rule and the 7 to 15 day limit.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a divorce is registered at the village council or neighbourhood council on Form Q. Attach the talaqnama, khula decree or Arbitration Council order, with both spouses' CNIC details and an affidavit. The council secretary must register it within 7 to 15 days.
Registration is the last step, not the first. Under federal law a talaq does not take effect until 90 days after the written notice reaches the council chairman. Many families skip the notice, then find NADRA cannot show the divorce. We read the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961, the KP Local Government Department's pages, the official Form Q, and the Right to Public Services Commission's list on 3 October 2026. This page covers paperwork only. For advice on your own case, speak to a family lawyer.
The village or neighbourhood council registers divorces in KP
Divorce registration in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the duty of the village council in rural areas and the neighbourhood council in towns. The council secretary registers it and issues the extract. NADRA prints its divorce certificate only from what the council has entered.
The duty comes from section 29(1)(c) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act 2013, as amended in 2019, which gives councils births, deaths, marriages and divorces. The department's registration page names the council secretary as the officer and the Assistant Director, Local Government, as the appeal authority.
Form Q covers more than talaq. It has three boxes for the mode of ending the marriage: divorce or talaq, khula, and others. So a wife who won a khula decree in court registers it the same way.
The 90 day rule comes before registration
Section 7 of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961 says a husband must give the council chairman written notice after pronouncing talaq, with a copy to the wife. The talaq takes effect only 90 days after the chairman receives that notice.
The same section sets out what happens in between. These rules apply across Pakistan, including KP:
- Within 30 days of the notice, the chairman must form an Arbitration Council to try to reconcile the couple.
- The talaq can be revoked during the 90 days, expressly or otherwise.
- If the wife is pregnant, the talaq takes effect after 90 days or the end of the pregnancy, whichever is later.
- Not giving notice is an offence. The penalty is simple imprisonment of up to one year, a fine of up to Rs 5,000, or both.
Section 8 applies the same steps, as far as they fit, when a wife uses a delegated right of divorce or a marriage is dissolved in another way. The Ordinance defines the chairman as the union council chairman or a person the government appoints. Ask your council office who receives the notice in your area.
Documents for divorce registration in KP
You need Form Q, filled in and signed with your thumb impression and CNIC number, plus an affidavit and written statements. Attach the divorce deed or talaqnama, or the order of a court or of the Arbitration Council chairman.
The department's civil registration page lists these items. A divorce done abroad is covered too: the page accepts an order "issued by any other concerned authority in Pakistan or abroad". Take the following:
- Form Q, with the date of divorce and the reason, verified, signed and thumb printed, with your CNIC number.
- An affidavit confirming the entries.
- Written statements about the divorce.
- The proof itself: the talaqnama or divorce deed, a family court decree, or the Arbitration Council chairman's order.
- CNIC copies of the husband and wife, and of both fathers, since the form asks for all four numbers.
How to fill in Form Q
Form Q asks for both spouses' names, CNICs, ages, addresses and fathers, the authority that confirmed the divorce, and the dates of marriage, notice and decision. It also records arbitration details, earlier divorces and child custody.
The form's full title is "Application for computerized registration of divorce or dissolution of marriage". It cites rules 4(d) and 39 of the registration rules. Fill it in this order:
- Council and district: the village or neighbourhood council, its number, the town and the district.
- Mode: tick divorce or talaq, khula, or others.
- Husband's details: name, CNIC, age, nationality, religion and caste, address, and father's name and CNIC.
- Wife's details: the same items for the wife.
- Authority: who confirmed the divorce or ordered the dissolution, such as the Arbitration Council or a family court.
- Marriage and custody: date and place of marriage, and the arrangement for any children.
- Proceedings: details of the arbitration, the number of earlier divorces of each spouse, and the date conciliation failed.
- Dates: date of the divorce notice and date of the decision, then sign and get the form verified.
The office part records the fee paid for the extract with a receipt number, a book and entry number, and a CRMS number. CRMS is the computerised record that links the council entry to NADRA.
KP time limit: 7 to 15 days
The Right to Public Services Commission lists divorce registration as a notified service with a time limit of 7 to 15 days. The council secretary is responsible, and an Assistant or Deputy Director of Local Government hears appeals.
| Item | Official position | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Who registers | Secretary, village or neighbourhood council | Local Government Department, RTS Commission |
| Form | Form Q | Local Government Department |
| Time limit | 7 to 15 days | RTS Commission notified services |
| Appeal to | Assistant or Deputy Director, Local Government | RTS Commission |
| Fee | Charged for the extract, amount not published | Form Q office section |
The department's own table shows "NA" for both the form and the time limit for divorce. The commission's list is the notified service, so it is the figure to hold the council to. The commission does not say when 7 days applies and when 15 does.
Complain if the council refuses or delays
If the council refuses or misses the limit, appeal first to the Assistant Director, Local Government. You can also complain to the KP Right to Public Services Commission online, on 091 9216375, or by email at pschief.rts@kp.gov.pk.
The commission is at 12/A Chinar Road, University Town, Peshawar. Its public information officer is on 0337 1120027 and admin.rts@kp.gov.pk. Keep a stamped copy of Form Q with the date you handed it in, because the time limit runs from that day.
After registration, get the NADRA certificate
Once the council has registered the divorce, the entry can be printed as a computerised certificate. That certificate is what NADRA, passport offices and a future nikah registrar will ask for, so collect it once the council confirms the entry.
The NADRA divorce certificate process, with the Punjab fees, starts from this council record. A wife ending the marriage through court should read the khula procedure first, because the decree is what she brings to the council. Later, the Family Registration Certificate should show the change too. Check it before applying for a passport or a new marriage.
Common questions
Where do I register a divorce in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa?
At the village council or neighbourhood council for your area. The council secretary registers it on Form Q.
What is Form Q in KP?
The official application for computerised registration of a divorce or dissolution of marriage. It covers talaq, khula and other modes.
How long does divorce registration take in KP?
7 to 15 days under the Right to Public Services list. That is after the 90 day period under federal law has ended.
Can a khula decree be registered at the KP council?
Yes. Form Q has a khula box, and the department accepts a court order as the proof.
What is the fee for divorce registration in KP?
Form Q has a space for the extract fee, but no KP page we read publishes the amount. Ask for a receipt.
Is a talaq effective without notice to the chairman?
Under section 7 of the 1961 Ordinance, the 90 days run from the day the chairman receives the notice. Not giving notice is also a punishable offence.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 3 October 2026. We read the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961 on Pakistan Code, updated to 10 March 2022; the Local Government Department's civil registration page and its registration table; the official Form Q linked from that page; and the Right to Public Services Commission's notified services list and contact page. No KP page publishes a fee, and none explains when the 7 or 15 day limit applies.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
