Lady constable to check in on woman until marriage dissolution

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Thursday directed the Nawabshah police to send a female police constable to the house of a married woman’s parents every third day to ascertain her well-being and protection until her suit for the dissolution of her marriage is decided and she is in a position to decide about her future.

The direction came on a petition of Aneela seeking protection and the quashing of a kidnapping case filed by her estranged husband. The petitioner said she was forced to marry Zubair against her wishes, but prior to her Rukhsati, she left her parents’ house and had been residing with her relatives. She said her spouse had registered a false kidnapping case against Owais and others, though she was not kidnapped by anyone and had been residing with her relatives. She saidt she filed a suit for the dissolution of her marriage before the family judge.

Replying to the court’s query regarding her present whereabouts, she did not provide a satisfactory reply, but she agreed to accompany her parents and live with them. She, however, requested the court to provide her protection against harassment. The parents of the petitioner undertook that they would not cause her any harm.

An SHC division bench headed by Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro directed the parents of the petitioner to furnish a bond to keep their daughter well and secure. The court directed SHO Kandiaro to send a lady constable to her parents’ house every third day to ascertain her well-being, security and protection, and the constable should talk to her on the phone every day for the same reason until her suit for the dissolution of her marriage is decided and she is in a position to decide about her future. The court disposed of the petition with directions to the IO to submit a report with regard to the disposing of the criminal case lodged by the husband of the petitioner.