FAISALABAD, July 17: Shehzina Tariq, the same-sex marriage bride, was released from the district jail on Tuesday. Shehzina was allowed to go 19 days after the verdict of the Supreme Court which had on June 28 granted bail to the couple, suspending a judgment handed down by the Lahore High Court. The high court had declared the marriage un-Islamic and sentenced them two to three years in jail.

A Supreme Court bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Rana Bhagwandas and Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, ordered release of Shamail Raj who was detained in the Kot Lakhpat jail of Lahore, and Shehzina Tariq from the Faisalabad district jail.

The girl refused to go with her father Tariq Husain who was called by the Jhang Bazaar police. She was also brought to the police station and the officials tried to convince Shehzina to go with her parents, but to no avail.

“I would go with my lawyer Rana Sajjad Husain,” was the only answer she repeated.

Shehzina categorically stated that she would live in Pakistan and face the future come what may. Thereafter, she departed with her lawyer to Lahore.

Sources said when she refused to accompany her father Tariq Husain, the latter prayed for his daughter and wished her best of luck.

On May 28, the Lahore High Court had jailed the first publicly-acknowledged same-sex couple of Pakistan for three years and fined them Rs10,000 each for perjury, declaring the marriage un-Islamic.

Shamail Raj, 31, who was born a girl but had undergone two operations to remove her breasts and uterus some 15 years ago, married her cousin Shehzina last year. The matter surfaced when the couple approached the high court for protection against harassment by Shehzina’s relatives. The court, however, accused them of lying about Shamail Raj’s gender and took further action.
Source: Dawn
Date:7/18/2007