IHC sends rescued girl to shelter home

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Wednesday ordered to send a rescued domestic worker, who was recovered from a shantytown near the Jinnah Garden area to a shelter home.

After recovering the 18-year-old missing girl, the police produced her before the court of Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri as per IHC’s directives.

Advocate Khawar Bukhari appeared in court on behalf of the girl’s father – the petitioner. “The girl has been recovered and has reached the court,” Bukhari informed the court.

Justice asked from where the girl was recovered. The police responded to the question, saying the girl was recovered from a shantytown near Jinnah Garden. “She no longer wants to live with her parents or aunt,” the police told the court. “The girl claims someone in the slum provided her protection, and after getting married to a relative, she decided she no longer wanted to live with him as well,” the police added.

After summoning the rescued girl to the rostrum, the court inquired about her marital status and with whom she was living in the shantytown. The girl said she had a nikah with the son of a close relative.

The IHC judge asked the girl if her nikah was forced. “My nikah was consensual,” she said and added that now she wanted a divorce. Sidra said she wanted to live in the slum with the person who had provided shelter for her.

“You cannot be handed over to strangers,” stated Justice Jahangiri. The court directed that the girl be sent to a shelter home and that her mother’s statement be recorded by the police.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 5^th, 2023.