Court orders state protection for 2 sisters

One of them survived attempt on her life after marrying a man of her choosing

ISLAMABAD: The high court on Friday ordered the shifting of two women, seeking protection after surviving an ‘honour’ killing attempt, to a shelter home.

A single-member bench of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah, on Friday heard a plea from two sisters hailing from Gujranwala.

They told the court that they are on the run from their family who are intent on killing one of them for contracting a free-will marriage with the man of her choice.

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Filing through Khawar Amir Bukhari, the petitioners claimed that while studying in Islamabad, one of them had married a resident of Lodhran in January this year.

This enraged the girl’s father and brothers who tried to kill her. The victim survived the assassination attempt with more than 30 stitches to her head.

With her family still intent on killing her, the victim, accompanied by her sister, left home in Gujranwala and travelled to Islamabad and asked the court for its protection.

Bukhari added that the victim’s family is also trying to force a divorce. On the other hand, a regional jirga has held the petitioner's husband hostage in Lodhran.

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At this, Chief Justice Minallah directed Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat to keep the women in a shelter home and get them medical treatment immediately. The court further sought a written reply from Islamabad Police IGP Aamir Zulfiqar and Punjab IGP Shoaib Dastagir on the case.

The court then adjourned further hearings of the case until Monday.

*Names withheld to protect identity

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2020.