Afghan couple case: PHC’s time limit expires today

PESHAWAR: The 40-day time limit provided by the Peshawar High Court (PHC) to resolve the Afghan couple case expires today. Despite holding seven hearings of the case, the family court has yet to resolve the controversy. It adjourned the day to day case hearings due to absence of Maryam due to unknown reasons.

The Afghan couple Haiwad, 23 and Maryam, 22 eloped from Afghanistan after the latter Maryam claimed she was being forced to marry her deceased sister’s husband. Her family, including her elder sister, brother and mother, however, stated that she was already married to Rehman and had two daughters from him. PHC ordered shifting Maryam to Women Crisis Center and Haiwad, to its closest available site. Family Court Judge Quratul Ain has already been transferred to Mardan on September 1, and it is expected that another Family Court Judge Saima Irfan, will soon be hearing the case.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2012.