Lahore: In the case of a Sikh girl going against her family in Pakistan and allegedly marrying a Muslim boy, a court has ruled that the girl is not a minor and can go with her husband wherever he wants. This decision of the court has increased the tension between the two communities. Jagjit Kaur, a resident of Nankana Sahib, allegedly married Mohammad Hasan against her family in September last year.
The Lahore High Court in its judgment on Wednesday said that Kaur can go with her husband wherever he wants. Kaur’s family alleges that Hasan kidnapped her and forcefully married her. Kaur is residing in Darul Aman (shelter home) in Lahore since September 2019. India had lodged an objection with Pakistan on this issue and asked the Pakistan government to take immediate action. Lahore High Court Judge Chaudhary Shehram Sarwar ruled on Hasan’s plea in which he had sought to keep Kaur with him. Hasan has named Kaur as ‘Ayesha’.
The police brought the Sikh girl to court under tight security where her family members were also present. The girl’s family expressed grief over the court’s decision. Advocate Khalil Tahir Sindhu, appearing for the Sikh family, said that according to the school’s certificate, the girl is a minor. Sindhu also told the court that according to the agreement between the two sides in the presence of Punjab Governor Muhammad Sarwar, the girl should be handed over to her parents.
He said, “If the girl is allowed to accompany a Muslim man, it will hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community.” The petitioner’s lawyer Sultan Sheikh told the court that according to the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) documents, the girl’s age is 19 years. He said that it has already been decided in the trial of the medical board constituted by the court that the girl is not a minor. The judge rejected the arguments of advocate Sindhu and said that only the documents of Nadra are sufficient to determine the age of a person.
The judge said, “The country’s constitution protects Kaur’s rights and she can live with any man of her own free will.” The court also asked Hasan to increase the amount of Meher from Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh. The judge rejected the plea saying that the girl is free to leave the shelter home with her husband or any place of her choice. Earlier in the hearing, Kaur had told the court that he adopted Islam on his own free will and married Hasan.
