ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday summoned the Indian woman Uzma Ahmed to appear in person on May 24 to know whether or not she wanted to meet her Pakistani husband.

IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani passed this order during the hearing of petitions filed by Uzma Ahmed and her Pakistani husband Tahir Ali Khan. The court also directed Khan to produce the immigration sheet of Uzma on the next date of hearing.

Tahir Khan seeks reunion with his Indian wife Uzma whereas the latter wants permission to go back to India as she disowned the marriage held in district Buner of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Indian High Commission also submitted a reply before the IHC denying that it was pressuring the woman to file a complaint against her husband.

As per Uzma’s complaint, she was deceived, tortured and forced to sign marriage documents at gunpoint. Uzma said she had taken refuge in the high commission because she felt threatened and wanted to go back to New Delhi.

Tahir Khan on the other hand insisted that they both became friends in Malaysia and Uzma consented to his marriage proposal.

He said that after arranging travel documents, Uzma arrived at Wagah border and he took her to Buner where they performed Nikkah in accordance with the law.

During the hearing, an Indian diplomat, Lalit Kumar Gehlot, was stopped from entering the courtroom as he forgot to obtain the entry pass from the police officials.

The security staff intercepted him but he was finally permitted to witness the court’s proceedings after he obtained the entry pass.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2017