Karachi (Web Desk): The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday ordered to temporarily hand over the custody of an underage girl to her parents.
The 14-year-old girl, who was reported missing from Karachi on April 16, 2022, was later recovered from Punjab where she travelled to marry 21-year-old Zaheer Ahmed.
Girl's father Syed Mehdi Kazmi had moved the court against the nuptials under the Child Marriage Act and sought his seek his daughter’s custody.
Justice Iqbal Kalhoro of the SHC took up the petition for hearing today. The girl, her father and Ahmed were in court.
During the hearing, the court asked the girl whether she wants to stay at the shelter home or with her parents.
The girl replied that she wants to go to her parents' home and stay with them.
After recording her statement, the court ordered authorities to grant custody of the girl to her parents “temporarily”, while noting that a decision regarding her permanent custody would be taken by a trial court.
The judge also ruled that a child protection officer would visit the girl every Saturday along with a lady police officer. The police officer had to submit a report to the trial court after each meeting.
The judge also directed the girl’s parents to submit surety bonds of Rs1 million.
Justice Kalhoro also ordered that the girl would not be allowed to leave Pakistan until the case was decided.
Meanwhile, Zaheer's lawyer argued that the petition was inadmissible. "The girl was kept in a shelter home on court orders. It is not a case of habeas corpus," added the lawyer.
However, the court did not entertain the request of the respondent’s counsel.
Taking to Twitter after the ruling, girl's lawyer, Jibran Nasir, welcomed the decision and said that the child was finally going home after a seven-month-long battle.
"There are many lessons to be learnt from this case and reforms are needed to curb child marriages," he said, adding that reforms are needed to curb child marriages.
#StateVsZaheerAhmed
— M. Jibran Nasir ???????? (@MJibranNasir) January 6, 2023
Alhumdulillah after 7 month long battle today victim child is finally going home. She unequivocally informed Hon' High Court that she wants to reside with parents. There are many lessons to be learnt from this case & reforms are needed to curb child marriages
