HARIPUR, March 2: Additional District and Sessions Judge Zamurd Khan dissolved the marriage of a couple on Wednesday by conducting 'lian' proceedings under the Islamic law of Qazf.

During proceedings under the Offence of Qazf (Enforcement of Hadd) Ordinance, 1979, both the wife and husband swore on the Holy Quran about the correctness of their stand on the allegation of adultery levelled by the husband.

School-teacher Mohammad Arif had alleged at a news conference on April 25 last year that his wife Saeeda Akhtar, serving as the Deputy District Officer Education (DDOE) female (primary), Haripur, was raped in the premises of the office of the EDO education, Haripur, on the evening of April 2, 2004, by the then EDO, Syed Bashir Hussain Shah, another teacher, Sajid Mehmood, and two to three other persons whom his wife could not recognize.

He also levelled allegations of serious nature against Bashir Shah and some of his subordinate staff. However, Saeeda and Bashir denied the statement of Arif at a press conference.

In her statement before the media Saeeda termed the statement of her husband slanderous and baseless, adding that nothing had happened to her and, instead, accused Arif of prompting and inducing her to procure girls for him and of being suspicious of her moral integrity. She said Bashir was like her real brother.

The district chapter of the component parties of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal also protested against the EDO and staged rallies demanding his transfer and registration of a criminal case. However, police inquired the matter and found Arif's allegation baseless.

In May last year, Saeeda lodged a case against Arif for accusing her of having committed adultery and prayed for proceedings under the Islamic law of Qazf. The court, after hearing both sides, ordered dissolution of the couple's marriage under the provision of lian.

Under the court direction, both the wife and the husband took oath under lian, declaring each other as truthful before the irrevocable divorce was ordered by the court.