LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday allowed a newly married Muslim convert girl to go with her husband as she refused to live with her parents.

Earlier, Chunian police (Kasur) produced the girl before the court after recovering her from the detention of her family. Muhammad Arshad had filed a habeas corpus petition for the recovery of his wife Shabnam from the custody of her parents.

Petitioner’s counsel told the court that both the petitioner and his wife converted to Islam from Christianity and the girl being a sui juris (legally major) contracted marriage with her free will.

However, he said family of the girl allegedly kidnapped her from the petitioner’s home and kept her in illegal detention. He alleged that the family [of the girl] had been subjecting her to severe torture and forcing her to dissolve marriage with the petitioner.

The counsel asked the court to order the police to recover the detained wife of the petitioner from the unlawful custody of her family.

Justice Abdul Aziz had directed the Chunian City police to recover the detainee and produce her before the court. In compliance with the order, the SHO produced the girl before the court on Wednesday.

When asked by the court, Shabnam said she embraced Islam and married the petitioner on her free will and did not want to live with her parents. In the light of her statement, the judge allowed the girl to go with her husband.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2017