Possession dispute: Asma Jahangir to assist court in girls recovery case

Model Sofia Mirza contends her husband forcibly took their daughters away.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has appointed President Supreme Court Bar Association Asma Jahangir as amicus curiae (friend of the court) in the case regarding the recovery of two minor girls of model Sofia Mirza.

The three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and comprising Justice Ghulam Rabbani and Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday heard the suo motu case for the recovery of Sufia’s children from abroad.

A Foreign Office representative informed the court that a team of ministry of foreign affairs is going to Dubai for repatriation of children, which will take up this matter with the Dubai authorities in a meeting on January 24.

President SCBA Asma Jahangir was also present in the court when Chief Justice asked her to assist Sufia Mirza as it is a matter of human rights.

“We have heard that you have decided not to appear in the bench No1 of the apex court but in such case you can appear,” the CJP said to Asma.

Asma replied that she would not contest private cases during her tenure as SCBA president, but would appear in human rights and welfare cases.

She said that after taking the charge as SCBA president, many people had approached her for contesting their cases but she refused to appear before bench No1 of the apex court in private cases by taking fees.

Justice Ramday urged her to appear in routine cases as well, adding “I have asked Athar Minallah to appear before the court in routine cases and Aitzaz Ahsan should also appear before the Chief Justice”.

“By the grace of God, cases are being decided on merit,” the chief justice remarked.

He appreciated the efforts of Asma Jahangir for people’s rights, saying that “We are proud of you”.

He asked Asma to help the court regarding the recovery of two minor girls upon which she assured the court that she would try her best to resolve the matter.

The court also told Asma that she can get assistance from FIA’s legal advisor Azam Khan and Director General for Middle East of Foreign Office in this regard.

The court directed Sofia Mirza to keep in touch with the SCBA president and adjourned the case till February 1.

Sofia Mirza, a model-turned-actress, had filed a petition maintaining that her husband had forcibly taken away their two daughters and refused to return them.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 21^st,  2011.