Teenage girl jumps from Nikkah registrar’s office

A court later remands her to a shelter home till November 14۔

KARACHI: A 19-year-old girl reportedly jumped off from the second-floor of a Nikkah registrar’s office in Tahir Plaza near City Courts on Thursday, fearing an adverse reaction from her family to her marrying a man of her own choice.

Afia* hurt her leg and was taken to Civil hospital for treatment. Risala police later took up the case and presented her before south judicial magistrate Mohammad Zeeshan, who sent her to the Panah Shelter home till November 14.

Afia, who claims that she converted from Christianity to Islam, was at the registrar’s office and finalising her marriage with Ghulam Rasool.

While the two were sorting out details at the registrar’s office, Afia’s family came into the office. Shocked, and afraid that her family would take her back home against her will, she jumped from the window of the office.

While talking to media personnel, Afia, who works as a nurse at a private clinic, said that she has known Rasool since last year and that she left her home with him on Wednesday.

Afia told the court that she jumped from the building because she was afraid her mother and siblings would take her home and beat her. “My family has come to the court to call me mentally unstable, but I am not. I took the decision [to marry Rasool] and I did it in a right state of mind.” She demanded that the court provide her protection.

However, Afia’s mother told the court that her daughter had not converted and that she was “lured” into marriage by Rasool.

*Name withheld to protect identity

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