Court issues restraining order

In a first, Malir civil court in Karachi has issued a restraining order in a case registered under the Sindh Domestic Violence Act 2013, and barred the husband, accused of physically assaulting his wife, from entering the workplace and household of the latter.

Malir Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate Gulraiz Memon directed the relevant SHO - of Malir Cantt Police Station - to provide security to the petitioner and take a surety bond of Rs100,000 from the accused for preventing the commission of domestic violence in accordance with Section 11(4) of the said law.

Ascertaining the material presented before the court, and the petitioner's allegation of threats to her life, violence at the hands of the respondent, and abusive treatment, and the likelihood of the respondent committing act or acts of domestic violence on the petitioner, Judge Memon issued the restraining order, directed security provision for the petitioner, and collection of the bond sum.

The decision, issued on August 22, 2020, noted that earlier this month the show cause notice sent to the respondent had been returned unserved with a report that the respondent is out of the country and the mother refused to recieve the show cause notice. Directives had been issued to repeat the process.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2020.