CJP takes up plea of Lithuanian woman

Issues notice to her ex-husband for illegally removing her three daughters

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has taken notice of the plea of a Lithuanian woman whose three daughters are allegedly in the illegal custody of her Pakistani ex-husband.

Maimouna Liskauskaite, a Lithuanian national who is currently visiting Pakistan, had filed a petition seeking the recovery of her daughters Ayesha, Maryam, and Amna from the alleged illegal custody of her ex-husband Jamshid Siddique.

The petition was presented through her counsel Chaudhry Faisal Hussain in the chamber of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar after office hours. The CJP directed the office to register the case and fix it before him and Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan in his chamber on Friday.

Later, the CJP and Justice Khan heard the case and issued notices to the respondents. The court also ordered DPO Gujranwala to present the minors – aged 13, 11 and 9 – before this court on Monday.

“Meantime, custody of the minors should not be removed from the jurisdiction of this court. In this regard, directions be issued to the Ministry of Interior, Government of Pakistan to ensure compliance of order,” said the order. The bench also directed the DPO to serve the court’s notice to the applicant’s ex-husband.

According to the petition, Liskauskaite converted to Islam on January 7, 2004 of her own free will and contracted marriage with Siddique. The marriage between the parties was solemnised in Lithuania and three daughters – Ayesha, Maryam and Amna – were born.

On December 19, 2010, the petitioner, her husband and minor daughters settled in Dubai. However, on April 4, 2011, Siddique silently moved to Pakistan along with the children and left her alone in Dubai. On April 7, 2011, he sent her divorce papers.

“Jamshid Siddique forcibly removed the minors from her lawful custody and that according to law, she was entitled to custody of her minor daughters,” the petition said.