' This petition under Article 199 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 arises out of an application under section 9 of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961 filed by respondent No,1 against the petitioner which was accepted by respondent No,2 and the petitioner was directed to pay maintenance for a period of 20 years from the filing of the application. This order of the Arbitration Council dated 19th December, 1985 was challenged by the petitioner by filing a revision which was dismissed by the Collector Sialkot on 25th of March, 1986.
2. The only contention raised by Mr. Muhammad Ismail Chaudhri, the learned counsel for, the petitioner was that the Arbitration Council could not have granted maintenance to the respondent for a period of 20 years but at the most, due to bar of limitation accept the claim for a period of six years. This contention of the learned counsel finds full support from the judgment of this Court in Muhammad Aslam v. Mst. Zainab Bibi and 3 others (1990 CLC 934) which was based upon the rule laid down by the Supreme Court in case of Muhammad Nawaz v. Mst. Khurshid Begum and 3 others (PLD 1972 SC 302). This being so the grant of maintenance beyond the period of six years is without any legal authority.
' As a result of what has been stated above, this petition is accepted and the order of Arbitration Council to the extent it directs the payment of maintenance for a period beyond six years from the date of filing of the application under 'section 9 of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961 is declared to be without lawful authority and of no legal effect.
' The parties are left to bear their own costs.