Security plea of recently converted Muslim girls rejected

IHC CJ says to approach SHC as the matter did not fall under its jurisdiction

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday turned down a petition requesting security for the two girls, who recently embraced Islam and married with two boys, observing that the subject did not fall under its jurisdiction.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah reserved the judgement on the maintainability of the petition.

The chief justice observed that the petitioners should move to the Sindh High Court (SHC) to seek relief as the matter did not fall within the jurisdiction of the IHC.

"Why the newly converted Muslim women of Sindh approach only the IHC rather than filing the same petition in the SHC," he said.

However, the petitioners' counsel Umair Baloch pleaded that the lives of his clients were under threat in Sindh.

He feared that they could be killed before approaching the SHC.

Justice Minallah said the bench could not let the IHC be used for these matters, adding that the petitioners should have complete confidence in the SHC.

The bench asked the petitioners' counsel to move to SHC and reserved the decision on maintainability of the case.

The petitions stated that Dua Fatima (Samrin) and Ghulam Ayesha (Priya Kumari) married Afaq Ali and Ali Murrad, respectively, and converted to Islam willfully.

Dua Fatima said she was impressed by Islamic teachings in pre-medical education.

The petitioner girls disclosed in their pleas that they had recently embraced Islam publicly.

The girls said they received life threats from their father and member of the provincial assembly Asad Sikandar.

The petitioners said they had married Muslim boys willfully in front of members of the Islamabad Bar Association.

The petitioners prayed the court to direct the respondents to restrain from harassing and threatening the applicants and interfering into petitioners’ right to life with liberty to profess religion of their choice and their marriage as guaranteed by the Constitution.

The petitioners prayed the court to issue directives to security institutions for ensuring protection of their lives.

Interior ministry secretary, Islamabad inspector general of police, girls' father and MPA had been nominated as respondents in the case.

Dua Fatima belongs to Sukkur while Ghulam Ayesha was the resident of Khairpur, Sindh.