PESHAWAR, Jan 22: The Peshawar High Court on Tuesday summoned a girl who was allegedly forced to marry a person against her will.
A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Mohammad Raza Khan and Justice Syed Yahya Zahid Gillani ordered the SHO of the concerned Mathra police station to direct the father of the girl to produce her on Wednesday.
The court had taken suo motu notice of the issue after appearance of a news item in a newspaper stating that 14-year-old girl, Huma, was forcibly married to a person named Asif Khan. The news item stated that she was forcibly taken away and her nikkah was solemnised with Asif.
The SHO of Mathra police station, Mumtaz Khan, appeared on court notice and stated that the said family belonged to Mohmand Agency. He stated that the girl was married to Asif and few weeks ago she came to the residence of her parents and refused to go back. “Huma said that she did not like her husband, who was in Oman,” the SHO told the court.
The SHO could not give any reply when the chief justice asked him about the exact age of the girl. The court directed that the girl should be appeared in person to ascertain her age.
EX-NAZIM SUMMONED: The Peshawar High Court put on notice the former Lakki Marwat district nazim, Humayun Saifullah, in two writ petitions challenging his candidature for the National Assembly constituency, NA-27.
The petitions were filed by his two rival candidates-- an ex-MNA Naseer Mohammad Maidadkhel and an independent candidate Noor Saleem-- stating that Mr Saifullah was district nazim and he had not tendered his resignation in time, which was a pre-condition for contesting polls.
A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Mohammad Raza Khan and Justice Syed Yahya Zahid Gillani ordered that Mr Saifullah should appear on Feb 1 before the court.
Both the petitioners appeared in person and contended that Mr Saifullah should be disqualified from contesting polls.
Mr Maidadkhel stated that Mr Saifullah was district nazim of Lakki Marwat when the election schedule was announced by the Election Commission. He stated that under Section 158 of the NWFP Local Government Ordinance, 2001, the nazim was barred from contesting for another political office. He contended that under the said section the nazim should relinquish his post before filing of nomination papers.
The petitioner contended that the last date for filing of nomination papers was Nov 26 whereas Mr Saifullah claimed of tendering his resignation on Nov 24. He stated that according to the official record the NWFP chief minister accepted his resignation on Nov 28 and a subsequent notification was issued by the Chief Election Commissioner on Dec 7 declaring the post of district nazim vacant.