LAHORE, April 5: The district and sessions judge on Tuesday ordered the Nishtar Colony station house officer to register a criminal case against a man allegedly involved in keeping his minor daughter unlawfully and directed the SHO to ensure her recovery and production before the court. The court took this action on a habeas corpus petition, filed by Khalida Tabassum of Nishtar Colony on March 28, seeking recovery of her eight-year-old daughter, Noor Fatima.

The petitioner stated that about two months back, her husband Khalid Nazir kicked her out from his house and snatched daughter Noor Fatima. She said she tried to get her daughter back with the help of some family elders, but the respondent denied giving her custody to her.

“I also approached the SHO concerned, but to no avail,” she said, praying to the court to get the girl recovered and handed over to her.

The judge on March 28 issued a notice to the respondent to appear and produce the girl in the court by March 30, but he failed to do so.

The court later issued his bailable arrest warrants, but the police official found his house locked when he reached there to arrest him.

The court observed that the respondent was deliberately avoiding his presence and production of the girl in the court.

“A person who has no regard for law doesn’t deserve any leniency; rather some legal action is required to be taken against him to ensure recovery of the minor,” the judge observed in his order.

The judge also directed the petitioner to approach the SHO who would register a case against the respondent in accordance with the law and ensure production of the girl before the court.

Meanwhile, the district and sessions court handed over a minor boy to his mother after getting him recovered from illegal custody of his father.

Jameela Bibi, a resident of the Cantonment area, had filed a habeas corpus petition alleging that her husband, Shahbaz, had kept her three-year-old son, Roshan, with him. She maintained that her matrimonial life was not going smoothly owing to some domestic issues. A few days back, her husband tortured her and kicked her out from his house besides snatching her son.

On her plea, the court served a notice on Shahbaz at his residence in Swaminagar, directing him to appear before the court along with the child.

On Tuesday, Shahbaz produced the child before the court and denied the allegations levelled by the petitioner. He informed the court that the petitioner had given custody of the minor to him amicably.

The court after hearing the final arguments from the two parties handed over the child to the mother.

REMAND: An accountability court on Tuesday extended the 14-day judicial remand of Hamesh Khan, Sheikh Afzal and Seth Nisar, accused in the Bank of Punjab (BoP) scam. The court directed the Camp Jail administration to follow the court orders after Hamesh Khan complained that the jail authorities were not providing him living facilities according to court orders.

The court extended the judicial remand of all the accused and directed the jail authorities to produce them again on April 18.