October 27, 2007	Saturday	Shawwal 14, 1428

CHITRAL, Oct 26: A girl from Dera Ghazi Khan, who recently married a Chitrali boy, has sought protection against some of her influential relatives who she accuses of trying to dissolve her marriage.

Sara Leghari addressed a press conference on Friday and said she had married Mohammad Haroon from Chitral of her own free will and with the consent of her parents about a month ago in Lahore.

She claimed that some of her relatives — including former president Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari, additional IG for Punjab Fayyaz Leghari, and her elder brother Raza Leghari — were against the marriage.

She said her parents had recorded their statements before a judicial magistrate in Lahore, but her more influential relatives were doing their best to get the marriage dissolved.

Ms Leghari said she was unable to get in touch with her parents. She hoped they had gone into hiding but expressed fears that her relatives might be punishing them for allowing her to marry a boy from the backward area of Chitral.

She said that her husband’s relatives had been implicated in false cases in Lahore.

She said she was mature enough and religiously, legally and ethically was free to choose her life partner.