January 11, 2007	Thursday	Zilhaj 20, 1427

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PESHAWAR, Jan 10: The Peshawar High Court on Wednesday directed the Mohmand Agency administration to submit a report, clarifying whether a missing girl student of the Peshawar University had been kidnapped, as alleged by her brother, or she has married of her own free will.

A two-member bench, comprising Chief Justice Tariq Pervez Khan and Justice Qaim Jan Khan, is hearing the case.

The chief justice had received an application from one Wasil Khan, who alleged that his sister had been kidnapped by Naqab Shah, Aslam Khan and Zor Talab sons of Gula Khan, and Pervez. The chief justice had converted the application into a petition.

Wasil Khan, a resident of Motae Banda in Lund Khwar area of Mardan, stated that his sister had been doing her bachelor’s from the University of Peshawar.

The petitioner said on October 19, 2006, he was taking his sister back home from the university when the accused attacked them in Lund Khwar and forcibly took his sister away.

He said he had lodged an FIR with the Lund Khwar police station against the four accused, all of whom were his distant relatives and residents of same area. He said that after the police’s failure to recover the girl, he sought help from the chief justice. He alleged that his sister had been shifted to Mohmand agency where the accused persons had taken refugee at the residence of Sher Zaman, an influential person.

Amjid Ali, assistant political agent of Lower Mohmand, informed the court that the girl had married Naqab Shah of her own free will and that she had not been kidnapped.

Disputing the claim, Wasil Khan said his sister could not tie the knot with an aged person like Naqab Shah. If at all, it would be a case of forced marriage, he added.

Having heard the arguments, the court directed the assistant political agent to submit a complete report on the next date of hearing on January 24, to resolve the issue.