KARACHI, May 18: A young and lawfully wedded couple has taken refuge at the Edhi Foundation fearing the wrath of girl’s indignant father, who is opposed to their marriage.

The couple has diverse family backgrounds. The 25--year-old youth, Faraz Ali Shah, a computer graduate, belongs to a Seraiki family from Bahawalpur, while 24-year-old Quratulain, a final-year medical student, hails from a Pathan family from Mardan.

The couple consider themselves as Karachiites as they have grown up in the city and had got acquainted with each other at the Sir Syed Medical College, which Faraz used to visit to see his family physician.

The couple was tied in wedding knot on September 3, 2005. “We took this step only when it became clear to me that my father would marry me off to my first cousin, though he knew fully well that I am in love with Faraz,” says Quratulain.

While narrating their ordeal to Dawn, the couple would often turn to the brown envelope, kept by the girl in her lap, that contained the documents that, according to them, can prove that not only the Nikahnama they possess is genuine, but also that the one got prepared by her parents is fake, as declared by the relevant authorities in Mardan.

“When I told my mother about Faraz over a year ago, she had assured me that she would get my father’s consent. But my father rejected the proposal and got me beaten up and locked in by my brothers,” she recalled.

“My studies came to an abrupt halt. And I was taken to Mardan where under duress they got me betrothed to my first cousin, Bilal. Subsequently, I told my fiancé about Faraz and requested him to let me marry him. Initially, he seemed to be sympathetic, but later, he threatened Faraz with dire consequences. When things came to such a pass, I tried to commit suicide,” Quratulain said.

Both Quratulain and Faraz tried to convince their respective families about the suitability of the match, more forcefully when they got married, but the girl’s family remained adamant.

“They have made my life miserable to such an extent that on the evening of November 10, 2005, I left my home,” she said.

Even without informing her husband, Quratulain left her home quietly and came to the Emergency Ward of the Jinnah Hospital where she kept sitting throughout the night.

As Quratulain’s parents found her ‘missing’, they called up Faraz’s parents at an eating house in Clifton where they were celebrating his birthday.

“Without telling me about what had happened, my parents went to Quratulain’s house, asking me to wait outside the house. After several hours, they, along with Quratulain’s family, drove up to our house and searched thoroughly. Later, I came to know that my parents were held at gunpoint by Mr Abdul Sattar, Quratulain’s father.

Next morning, Quratulain, having no money with her, walked up to the Edhi Clifton Centre where she was told that married women were kept at the Mithadar Centre. So, she again walked to the Mithadar Centre and met Bilquis Edhi there.

After listening to her ordeal, Mrs Edhi informed Faraz that his wife was at the Mithadar Centre. Faraz, along with his mother, went there to see Quratulain. Later, Faraz’s mother informed Mr Sattar that his daughter was staying at the Edhi Centre.

On November 14, Mr Sattar gave an application to the Edhi Centre claiming that his daughter had left home after being scolded, and that no one else should be allowed to see her.

In the meantime, the Edhi Foundation started receiving threats from different groups and political parties, a senior official of the Foundation, Rizwan Edhi, told Dawn.

In such a situation, Mr Abdul Sattar Edhi suggested that the girl be moved to some other city, such as Islamabad, where the organisation was already engaged in the earthquake relief work.

At this juncture, Faraz also decided to leave home, and the couple left for Islamabad on November 19.

For the next two months, they worked as volunteers with the Edhi Foundation and contributed to the relief work in Balakot and Muzaffarabad.

In the meantime, the girl’s father came out with a fake marriage certificate in his bid to prove that Quratulain was already married to one, Bilal.

Learning about it, the couple filed an application in the court of the senior civil judge/family court in Islamabad, with plea to restrain the respondents from causing harassment.

“The Edhi Foundation, suspecting a foul play on the part of Mr Sattar, sent its representative to Mardan for an inquiry. It transpired that there was no entry of that marriage certificate at the UC Mardan,” Rizwan Edhi told Dawn.

After getting frustrated, Mr Sattar lodged an FIR with the Frere police station against Faraz and his parents accusing them of kidnapping Quratulain, Rizwan Edhi said.

Mr Sattar, however, managed his way through police and got Faraz’s father, Mr Saeed Ahmed Shah, arrested. Subsequently, Mr Shah was sent to the judicial lock-up. In fact, Mr Shah, who was later released on bail, suffered the most in this ordeal as he also lost his job.

According to the couple, the investigating officer, Naseem Butt, has sided with Mr Sattar who is employing all his resources and contacts.

The IO didn’t put on record the statement of Mr Edhi who had disclosed the whereabouts of the girl to the IO, they alleged.

The Edhi Foundation even wrote an application to the investigating officer requesting him to record the statement of Faraz Ali Shah and Quratulain (who were nominated in the FIR 66/06 registered at the Frere police station) under section 164.

The investigating officer, however, went ahead and submitted the challan without the statement under 164, the couple alleged.

The couple received a latest volley of threats when Mr Sattar again visited the Edhi’s Mithadar Centre along with MNA Abdus Sattar Afghani.

A subsequent FIR, against the threats, was lodged by Edhi Foundation at the Mithadar police station.