LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Wednesday allowed a girl to marry her fiancé, a condemned prisoner, and directed the Kot Lakhpat jail superintendent to make arrangements for their marriage in the jail.

Laiba Sehar, a resident of Samanabad, through her counsel contended that she was engaged to Muhammad Attique in her childhood.

She said Attique was awarded death sentence in a murder case and was detained at Kot Lakhpat jail. She said she wanted to contract marriage with him, but jail authorities were not allowing her.

She pleaded that contracting marriage was her fundamental right and her fiancé even being a prisoner could not be deprived of this right.

A law officer opposing the petition said Attique was a hardened criminal as he was awarded death sentence in one case and also involved in other heinous crimes like kidnapping for ransom. He also pointed out that Pakistan Prison Rules did not allow marriage in jails.

Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry, however, accepted the petition and directed the jail superintendent to arrange marriage of the girl through a nikha khawan.
Source: Dawn
Date:5/13/2010