KARACHI: Converted sisters can stay in madressah: Supreme Court order
By Shujaat Ali Khan
KARACHI, April 10: The Supreme Court on Monday allowed three sisters who converted from Hinduism to Islam to put up at a madressah as desired by them till they are able to make a permanent arrangement.
A three-member bench of the court, comprising Justices Abdul Hameed Dogar, Hamid Ali Mirza and Karamat Nazeer Bhandari, was disposing of a human rights petition moved by the Supreme Court Bar Association in the allegedly forcible conversion case after hearing the three girls, their parents and Advocate-General Anwar Mansoor Khan.
The bench perused the affidavits submitted by the girls stating on oath that there was no compulsion involved and other relevant documents and allowed them to live according to their will. They would be shifted from Edhi Home to Madressah Talimul Quran, Manzoor Colony, Gizri, till they make some permanent arrangement as requested by them.
At the request of Ms Champa, mother of Nida (Reema), Anum (Usha) and Afshan (Reena), the court said in its order that the parents can meet their daughters without any undue hindrance.
Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Usmani, in charge of the madressah assured the court that the parents would not be barred from meeting their daughters.
SCBA President Malik Muhammad Qayyum had moved the petition after press reports that the tree sisters had been kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam. Their father lodged a criminal complaint against their kidnapping and forced conversion with the Gizri police station. He also alleged that he and his wife were not being allowed to see their daughters freely and without interference by the madressah management. He said his daughters were brainwashed.
The girls, aged 17, 19, and 21, said in their statements before the courts and officials that they embraced Islam of their own free will and were never kidnapped by any one. They said they were impressed by the teachings of Islam and it was no longer possible for them to live with their Hindu parents in their old community with their new religious beliefs, they stated in their statements on oath.
The AG said an official inquiry confirmed the statement that no compulsion or kidnapping was involved. The girls could not be forced to live against their will as there was no compulsion in Islam.
The Edhi Home said it was meant for homeless and runaway and not for grown-up girls or boys but the girls were temporarily accommodated on a court order.
The girls said in their affidavits that they would prefer to live at the madressah where they had been living after their conversion.
PLEA DISMISSED: The Supreme Court dismissed on Monday an appeal moved by a man against his conviction and death sentences for killing six people, including his woman employer, in the Defence Housing Society in 2001.
Khapray Khan alias Sher Khan was found guilty of murdering Ms Badar Hameed Paracha, his employer, and housemaid Samina and her relatives Ilahi Bux, Ms Kausar and Ms Noor on Feb 12, 2001. He also killed his co-servant Nazeer Khan.
The accused was sentenced to death six times and awarded a total of 37 years of rigorous imprisonment by an anti-terrorism court of Karachi on May 28, 2001.
According to the prosecution, he raped Samina before murdering her and committed robbery after the multiple the killings. He was arrested from Batgram area where he had fled after committing the offences. His appeal against conviction and sentences was dismissed by the Sindh High Court.
A three-member SC bench, comprising Justices Abdul Hameed Dogar, Hamid Ali Mirza and Karamat Nazir Bhandari, refused leave to appeal after hearing arguments advanced by the counsel for the appellant and the prosecution and upheld the trial court and SHC orders.
