In the name of honour: SHC overturns FIR against couple declared Karo-Kari

Allows another woman to go with parents.

KARACHI: A division bench of Sindh High Court comprising Justice Maqbool Baqar and Justice Imam Bux Baloch on Wednesday ordered quashing of an FIR registered at PS Naudero police station against a couple declared Karo-Kari by tribal elders.

Earlier, the bench heard counsel for petitioners, Nazia and Ghaffar Baloch. Nazia submitted that she was betrothed to Ghaffar but her parents later developed some differences with her fiancé and fixed her marriage with some other person.

She maintained that she married Ghaffar against wishes of the family and the couple was declared Karo- Kari. An FIR alleging kidnapping with the intention of Zina was lodged against Ghaffar and his two brothers and police is after them.

The bench after hearing the petitioner lady ordered quashing of the FIR and asked police to provide protection to the couple.

In another case, the same bench allowed a girl, Hira, to go home with her parents after she denied her marriage with Mazhar Hussain who sought her recovery.

Mazhar Hussain in his petition had maintained that his wife Hira was taken away by police from his residence and was handed over to her brother.

He prayed to the court to recover his wife and hand her over to him.

But appearing before the court on Wednesday, Hira told the bench that she was abducted and she wants to go home with her parents. She also denied marriage with the petitioner.

The bench in view of the statement of Hira, allowed her to go with her parents or elsewhere as per her own wish and will.

The bench left the issue of genuineness of marriage to trial court ( family court) and admitted petitioner Mazhar to bail against a surety of
Rs25,000 and personal bond in the like amount. Mazhar and Nazia were booked in a FIR by PS Faiz Ganj, Khairpur Mirs.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 15^th, 2011.