PESHAWAR, July 18: A local court on Tuesday confirmed pre- arrest bail for a couple and three others in a case under the Hudood law. The court of additional district and sessions judge Ihtesham Ali accepted the applications filed by Fakhre Imam, his wife Sadaf, parents Hassan Khan and Hashmat Begum and another family member Ghulam Khan.

The court confirmed their bail after the complainant in the case, Muhammad Tariq, who is father of Ms Sadaf, forgave the couple.

The accused, Fakhre Imam tendered an apology to his father-inlaw in the courtroom. The court asked the complainant to be considerate towards his daughter as she had contracted marriage with her free will which was permissible under the law.

Earlier, the court had referred the girl to the medical board for ascertaining her age as her father had claimed that she was minor and only 13 at the time of her marriage.

The girl had refuted the allegation and stated that she was 19. As a compromise took place between both parties her medical examination was not conducted.

The couple contracted nikkah on June 7. The FIR of the case was registered on June 16 by Muhammad Tariq under the Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) ordinance, 1979. He has charged Fakhre Imam, Hassan Khan, Hashmat Begum, and Ghulam Khan in the case.