KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has directed the police to provide necessary protection to a newlywed couple who tied the knot of their own free will.

A two-judge constitutional bench of the SHC, headed by Justice Mohammad Saleem Jessar, also ordered the investigating officer to submit a report before the magistrate concerned in view of the statement recovered by the female petitioner.

Citing the home department, various police officials and private individuals as respondents, Tanisha and Aroon Kumar had petitioned the SHC last month and sought protection and quashing of cases.

The counsel for petitioners argued that Ms Tanisha, being sui juris, contracted the marriage with Mr Kumar without any coercion or force and now she was performing her marital obligations and willingly living with him.

However, the lawyer also submitted that her family members, being opposed to the marriage, extended threats to both of them and also lodged an FIR about her abduction under Sections 365-B (kidnap to compel for marriage) and 452 (house-trespass after preparing for hurt) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 3/4 of the Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2019, while another case was also lodged against the male petitioner and his relatives about rioting at a police station in Kashmore.

A deputy prosecutor general submitted that official respondents were legally bound to provide legal protection to all citizens, including the petitioners, without any discrimination.

The IO of the case also turned up and placed on record a copy of the statement of the female petitioner, recorded by the police. He undertook to submit a report in terms of Section 173 CrPC based on the statement.

Thereafter, the bench in its order said, “Instant petition stands disposed of with directions to official respondents more to conduct themselves strictly in accordance with law and provide necessary legal protection of life, liberty, honour and property to petitioners in the manner that no one shall cause them harassment. IO present in Court is directed to submit report in view of the statement of petitioner No.1 before the concerned Magistrate”.

Published in Dawn, June 23rd , 2026