LHC sends love-marriage bride to Darul Aman
LAHORE, July 21: Justice Syed Hamid Ali Shah of the Lahore High Court (LHC) sent to Darul Aman a Pasrur girl, who had contracted marriage with a Hafizabad boy.
Sundas, 15 and class seven student, as claimed by her mother, developed intimacy with first year student Sweel during her stay in Gujranwala where she was studying in a school. Sweel lived in the neighbourhood in a rented house.
They married without the consent of their families.
When Sundas’ mother came to know about the issue, she detained the girl in the house. The court rescued her through police on a habeas corpus petition by her husband.
At first the girl told the judge she wanted to go with her mother. Later, she changed her stance and wished to accompany her husband.
Seeing the girl confused, the court gave her some time to ponder and finalise her decision.
Sundas’ mother asked the judge that as the girl was underage, she could not decide what was better for her future. But she could not produce her birth certificate or any other document to prove her claim that Sundas was under 18.
She also pleaded that Sundas’ future was not safe with her husband as he too being a student could not afford expenses of domestic life, while the amount of dower written in the marriage deed (nikahnama) was also meagre, Rs500.
When Justice Shah asked Sweel, an orphan, about his source of income, he could not satisfy the judge.
The judge asked him if he owned any property and was ready to gift a part of it to his wife in 10 days.
Sweel’s paternal aunt and cousin agreed to gift two acres to Sundas.
The court adjourned the hearing till July 27.
It directed that no one from her parents or in-laws would visit her to Darul Aman during this time.
The mother pleaded to the court that the girl be sent with her and promised to send her to her in-laws after arrival of her father, presently working in Saudi Arabia.
The court observed that she could call him by July 27 or discuss the matter with him over phone.
When the mother said the father would die after hearing the news, the court remarked that she should have been careful of the girl (activities) earlier (to avert this end).
BENCHES: The chief justice of the Lahore High Court has formed nine single benches (SBs) and three division benches (DBs) for the next week commencing from July 23.
The DB-I consists of Justice Khwaja Muhammad Sharif and Justice Hasnat Ahmad Khan, DB-II of Justice Nasim Sikandar and Justice Syed Asghar Haider and DB-III of Justice Bilal Khan and Justice Tariq Shamim.
Source: Dawn
Date:7/22/2007
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