ISLAMABAD, Feb 03 (APP):The Federal Constitutional Court on Tuesday allowed Maria to go with her husband, Shehryar, in a case relating to a marriage of choice, while directing the girl’s parents to approach the relevant forum regarding their claim of a fake marriage.
The case was heard by a two-member bench headed by Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi. During the proceedings, Maria told the court that she had not been abducted and had married Shehryar of her own free will. She categorically stated before the court that she was an adult and fully capable of making decisions about her life.
Counsel for the girl’s parents argued that Maria was only 12 years old and that the marriage of a minor was not legally valid. At this, Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi observed that the birth certificate and B-Form produced in court had been obtained with a delay of 10 years, adding that the girl did not appear to be 12 years old by any stretch.
The court was informed that Maria had recorded her statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, in which she had denied the allegations of abduction.
Justice Rizvi noted that the girl had consistently maintained that she was not abducted, had declared herself to be an adult, and that six months had passed since her marriage.
The court further observed that Maria had embraced Islam prior to contracting the marriage. After examining all the facts and statements on record, the Federal Constitutional Court disposed of the petition, allowed Maria to go with her husband, and advised her parents to seek legal recourse from the appropriate court to determine the legal status of the marriage.