Runaway Afghan couple: Maryam, Haiwad fail to produce witnesses to their marriage

Since the couple has failed to produce even a single witness, case should be decided as soon as possible, says Sabi.

PESHAWAR:

The case pertaining to an eloped Afghan couple saw a new twist after there were no witnesses to verify the matrimonial contract was indeed legitimate. Arguments will commence at the hearing on June 15.

Maryam, 22, and Haiwad 23 eloped from Afghanistan to Pakistan and allegedly got married in Abbottabad in May 2012.

However, another Afghan national Abdul Rehman, 60, claimed he was married to Maryam since 2006 and has conceived two children Saba and Husna with her.

Maryam has been denying his claim, stating both children were daughters of her late sister, the former wife of Abdul Rehman who died in 2006.

Upon the intervention of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), the case was shifted from Abbottabad to Peshawar. After three hearings on the dispute between Haiwad and Rehman over conjugal rights, on July 31 the court ordered a Peshawar family court to decide the case.

On September 18, Abdul Rehman asked the court to conduct DNA tests of him, Maryam and the two children. Tests concluded Saba and Husna were Rehman and Maryam’s offspring. Haiwad and Maryam, however, expressed reservations over the tests.

On Monday, Rehman’s attorney Ejaz Sabi told Family Judge Kiran Shaukat the prosecution produced witnesses to Maryam’s alleged first marriage who also recorded their statements. Since the couple has failed to produce even a single witness, the case should be decided as soon as possible, added Sabi.

Family Judge Kiran Shaukat later observed recording witness statements was now complete and arguments will commence at the next hearing on Saturday.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2013.