SUKKUR, Oct 28: A double bench of the Sindh High Court, Sukkur, on Tuesday directed the regional police officer, deputy inspector general of police and district police officers concerned to produce Qadir Bux alias Balkhsher Mahar and Shaista Almani before the court on Oct 30.

The bench, comprising Justice Zahid Qurban Alvi and Justice Maqbool Baqar, issued the order after the court was informed that Shaista was residing in the house of Rahim Bux Bozdar in Ghotki and Qadir Bux in the house of Ghotki District Nazim Ali Gohar Mahar.

The court also issued notices to Rahim Bux and the district Nazim as well as parents of Shaista and Qadir Bux to appear before the court on Thursday.

It further ordered that no Jirga should be held to decide the matter.

The court took suo motu action in the matter after it received letters from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the Women Action Forum, showing concern that the lives of Shaista Almani and Qadir Bux Mahar, who had married of their own will, were in danger as the tribes they belonged to were not happy with their marriage.

The letters said two days back the couple were brought to Ghotki and it was feared that they would be killed on a Jirga direction.

The bench also issued notices to police officials who told the court on Tuesday that they had no clue to the whereabouts of the couple.

On Monday, the district and sessions judge of Ghotki, Abdul Rasool Memon, directed the DPO to produce Shaista before the court and make arrangements for her security.

The orders were issued on the application of Sindh Human Rights Commission of Pakistan president Ali Hassan in which he drew the attention of the court towards the forced return of Shaista Almani and her husband, Balkhsher Mahar, to Ghotki.

Mr Hassan informed the court that the life of Shaista was in danger and she might be killed on the pretext of Karo-kari.

The judge ordered the DPO to recover Shaista and produce her in the court for her statement.

Earlier, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan secretary Henna Jillani sent a telegram to Justice Sabeehuddin Ahmad of the Sindh High Court, Karachi bench, bringing the matter into his notice. She said Shaista might be killed in the name of honour.

She said Shaista had married Balkhsher of her own will and the couple were forced to flee the province as their families were not happy with their marriage.

She requested the court to direct the regional police officer to recover the woman and produce her before the court.