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LAHORE, Feb 17: The Lahore High Court on Thursday observed that laws of the country hardly had compatibility with social values, particularly choice marriages by choice.
The court advised the state to consider the anomalous situation and take such corrective measures as to make such marriages acceptable with a view to reduce burden on courts and also the offended parents.
The observation came on a writ petition filed by a newly married couple of Baghbanpura who submitted that police were harassing them at the behest of the parents of the girl, Amena, who contracted marriage with Asghar Ali of her own free will.
The court directed the petitioners' counsel to arrange a union of the parents with the couple to strike a compromise between them. The court also restrained police from harassing the couple and from interfering in their matrimonial life.
MISTAKEN IDENTITY: The court ordered action against the officials of Noorkot police station in Shakargarh tehsil for torturing an innocent citizen whom they arrested for mistaken identity.
The court summoned on March 16 the Narowal district police officer with a written explanation for the maltreatment of the teacher and the action taken against the officials concerned.
The court also sent a copy of the petition to the inspector-general of Punjab police with the remarks that the force had been abusing its authority. The order was issued on the writ petition of senior teacher Mohammad Siddiq who submitted that he was stripped, subjected to torture and taken to the police station on the night of Nov 22.
When the villagers intervened, the aged teacher was released the next day and the SHO conceded that the police mistook him for another Siddiq who was wanted in a criminal case.
