December 17, 2003	Wednesday	Shawwal 22, 1424

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SUKKUR, Dec 16: Chances of Shaista Almani’s production in the Sindh High Court, Sukkur bench, on Wednesday have minimized after the issuance of a fatwa (religious decree) by Maulana Mohammad Murad Halejvi.

According to sources, parents of Ms Almani had approached the Maulana and sought the religious opinion in this regard.

The Maulana issued the fatwa, maintaining that a Muslim woman must observe a 90-day iddat (seclusion) after being divorced and must not leave her home during this period.

It was learnt that the fatwa would be produced in the court on Wednesday through her lawyer.

Meanwhile, Ms Almani was produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate, Pano Aqil, Mr Abdul Rahim Chandio, on Tuesday to record her statement in the wake of the issuance of the religious decree.

According to sources, she refused to record her statement before the magistrate and preferred to depose before the SHC.

She was brought to the court amid tight security and photographers were not allowed to take her pictures. She was later taken to an undisclosed destination.

One of the photographers was picked up by the police and dropped at a deserted place.

According to Ghotki DPO Aftab Halepoto, the parents of Ms Almani had assured him that she would be produced before the SHC and the police was constantly in touch with them.

The police have assured her parents that after appearance in the court, she would be sent back to her home amid tight security.

Shaista had married Balkhsher Mahar against the will of her parents and left her house. Later, the couple returned from upcountry and Mahar divorced her due to pressure mounted by the Almanis.

A petition, filed by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, seeking her production in the SHC, is fixed for hearing on Wednesday.