IHC allows woman 'forced to marry Pakistani man' to go back to India

Development comes days after Uzma Ahmed rejected claims made by her Pakistani husband Tahir Ali

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Wednesday allowed an Indian national woman to go back to her country days after she claimed she was duped and forced into marrying a Pakistani man.

Uzma Ahmed claimed she was forced to marry Buner resident Tahir Ali on gunpoint. During the hearing, IHC judge Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani asked Uzma if she wanted to meet her husband in the chamber but she refused the offer, saying she did not want to talk to him.

Soon after the hearing, Uzma left the court for the Indian High Commission where she will reportedly stay until she's sent back.

In her para-wise comments, Ahmed through her counsel reiterated that she had been “terribly beaten … tortured physically and mentally and forced to sign on the nikahnama” by Ali. She reiterated her allegation that she had been given sleeping pills by Ali who allegedly “sexually assaulted” her after he received her at the Wagah border.



On the other hand, Ali had sought court’s intervention to meet his wife in ‘a free atmosphere’ claiming that Ahmed recorded her statement before a magistrate against him under “duress and pressure” from her brother through officials of the Indian High Commission.

On May 3, Ahmed had told a magistrate that she had been deceived, tortured and forced to sign marriage documents at gunpoint. Ahmed further said that she had taken refuge at the high commission because she felt threatened and wanted to return to her country of birth. Contrary to her claims, Ali through his counsel Fayaz Ahmed had filed a petition claiming that she is being forcibly kept there.