LAHORE, April 3: Justice Mian Saqib Nisar of the Lahore High Court ordered on Friday handing over two Austrian national children to the Austrian embassy in Islamabad to be shifted to their maternal grandparents in Austria.

Third Secretary and Vice-Counsel in Austrian Embassy Mag Alfred Bratranek moved a habeas corpus petition on behalf of Josip Stimac and Stefica Stimac, the maternal grandparents of two children, Sana Saleem Syed, 13, and Abrash Syed Shah, 6.

Petitioners’ counsel Aftab Ahmad Bajwa said children’s mother Melitta Syed Shah, wife of Syed Iqbal Husain Shah, was arrested on Jan 11, 2008, at Lahore airport after recovery of 20.875 kilo heroin from her baggage. He said the woman was an under-trial prisoner at Kot Lakhpat jail and both the children were living with her behind the bars.

The counsel said Melitta wrote to the Austrian embassy in Islamabad for handing over the custody of the children to their maternal parents but later refused to do so. The counsel said both children were in jail for more than a year and were deprived of their education, freedom and humanitarian activities despite the fact that they had not committed any offence nor they were required by any agency or court in Pakistan. Their health was also deteriorating day by day.
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