LHC suspends lower court order for registering FIR against Babar Azam

Woman accuses Azam of blackmail, fornication under pretext of marriage

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday suspended an earlier order by a local court to register a First Information Report (FIR) against national cricket team captain Babar Azam.

The additional district and sessions court had passed an order a day earlier to register the FIR against Azam on a plea by a woman claiming that the national team's captain for allegedly blackmailing and fornicating with her (with consent) under the pretext of marriage.

Azam's counsel challenged the order in the court, denying all the allegations.

Responding to the first allegation, Azam's counsel contended that the woman, Hamiza, levelled the allegation to blackmail, harass and intimidate Azam. He said in his petition that when the matter was inquired by the concerned police, the respondent resiled from the said allegations and apologised to the petitioner. This was also recorded through her affidavit and her statement withdrawing the first complaint.

Azam’s counsel revealed that after a period of over two years, his client received a legal notice, dated November 19, 2020, from the respondent Hamiza. The legal notice was akin to an extortion notice wherein the woman demanded Rs150m or she will reach out to international bodies and the media.

On November 25, 2020, another identical application was filed against Azam with the same allegations, but when the police intervened, it transpired that the allegations were incorrect.

In another instance, Hamiza attached medical documents showing Azam as her husband. However, Azam was not present in Pakistan at the time when his presence was shown as proof and was in England to play cricket.

Case history

Hamiza, in her petition, had contended that “we had fallen in love with each other" and illicit relations continued between them for a long time. She said she became pregnant but Azam got her aborted and promised to marry her, adding that it would not be good for them if she gave birth before marriage.

Attaching all medical documents with the petition to prove her abortion and illicit relations with Azam, she had implored the court that when she felt that he is betraying her, she went to the police to register an FIR against the national team's captain, after which he promised to marry her and the matter was resolved.

Following that, Babar Azam become a cricket star and has since then ignored her and has refused to solemnize marriage with her. Once again, Hamiza approached the police station to register an FIR against the accused but the concerned police seemed reluctant to do so.

She had then requested the court to direct concerned authorities to register an FIR against Azam for blackmailing and fornicating with her in the name of marriage.