KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has restrained the police from arresting a free-will marriage couple and to provide them protection.

A two-judge constitutional bench of the SHC, comprising Justice Muhammad Karim Khan Agha and Justice Adnan-Ul-Karim Memon, also issued notices to home secretary and other respondents for Feb 11.

Shuaba, a resident of Shah Latif Town in Malir and Abdul Basit, residing in Saeedabad, moved the SHC and submitted that they had contracted marriage on Dec 12, 2024 with their freewill and without any compulsion.

However, they stated that the family of the female petitioner, Shuaba, had lodged FIR against petitioner Mr Basit and his relatives under Sections 365-B (Kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel for marriage etc.) and 34 (common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code on the charges of abduction at Shah Latif Town police station.

The petition also said that the relatives of the woman had extended threats of dire consequences including to kill the couple on the pretext of so-called honour and to lodge criminal cases against them.

Citing home department, Senior Superintendent of Police (West), SHO Saeedabad, SHO Shah Latif Town, senior investigation officer of Shah Latif police station and relatives of the girl as respondents, the petitioners pleaded for quashment of FIR and sought directive for official respondents to provide them protection.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2025