Seeking divorce: Christian woman appeals against ‘judicial separation’

Says she had filed a petition under Christian Divorce Act 1869, for annulling her marriage

ISLAMABAD: A Christian woman has asked the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to intervene in the dissolution of her marriage.

Nazia Riasat, through her counsel Farah Hassan, stated that she had filed a petition before a family court under Section 7 of the Christian Divorce Act 1869, for annulling her marriage.

However, she noted that the family court judge, instead of granting her the dissolution of marriage which she had requested, had converted it into judicial separation on October 20, 2017. She had then challenged the decision before an additional district and sessions. However, the judge dismissed her appeal.



Now, she has filed a petition before the IHC, seeking a divorce.

Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC is expected to hear the petition on Friday (today).

Advocate Farah Hassan said that divorce is also a fundamental right and no one could be forced to stay in a marriage where the husband tortures his wife, deserts her and does not provide her with expenses.

Riasat nominated her husband Shehzad Masih, additional district & session judge (ADSJ) Islamabad and judge family court as respondents.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2018.