Declaring faith: Couple summoned to record statements

The man has demanded that his wife declare her faith in court.

LAHORE:

Family court judge Muhammad Rashid on Friday ordered a couple on Friday to appear before the court on Saturday (today) to record their statements on an application filed by the husband seeking verification of his wife’s religious inclinations before a decision on the dissolution of marriage suit she had filed.

Huma Shabbir had applied for dissolution of marriage and recovery of her dowry articles and alimony from her husband Syed Shabbir Ahmed.

Ahmed filed an application through his counsel Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry saying she had married him without disclosing that she was an Ahmadi.



In her petition, Huma had said her husband had not honoured the terms of their marriage contract. She said she did not want to live with him.

She said he had agreed to allow her to meet her children from her first husband.

She said he had also promised to take her to the United States.

She said he did not keep his promises.

She said on June 30, he announced his intention to divorce her through a text message.

Ahmed then filed an application, asking the court to stop proceedings of the suit filed by his wife.



He said she had concealed her faith from him. He said the court should verify her religion.

In her reply, filed through Asma Jahangir, Huma said Ahmed had no authority to declare her religion. She added that she was a Muslim.

Jahangir also remarked that Ahmed had no right to ask a Muslim to submit an affidavit declaring his religion.

Ahmed’s counsel replied that on April 16, Huma had told Ahmed that her maternal family was Shia.

He said on June 23, Huma confessed to him on the phone that she was an Ahmadi. He said he asked her to embrace Islam, she refused.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2014.