Daily Times

HYDERABAD: Ravita Menghwar alias Gulnaz, was allegedly converted forcibly to Islam. She was sent to Darul Aman for a day after she recorded her statement in favor of her husband Nawaz Shah, in the Sindh High Court Circuit Bench Hyderabad on Thursday.

The Bench, headed by Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, heard the petition filed by the father of Ravita through advocate Bhagwandas, against the alleged abduction and forced conversion of his daughter and her underage marriage. During proceedings, Ravita’s statement was recorded in which she stated that she was neither abducted nor was she forcibly converted for her marriage. She asserted that she married Nawaz Shah after falling in love with him, therefore she stands with her husband not her parents.

Her husband said they met in their village where they exchanged conversation and he gave her a mobile phone. This way they stayed connected then married according to theirown choice and will.

The lawyer for the petitioner Satram Das Meghwar, the father of Ravita, argued that the girl was currently with the respondent Nawaz Shah therefore she might be under pressure to give a false statement.

After having the statement recorded, the court ordered Ravita or ‘Gulnaz’ to be sent to Darul Aman for a day. A hearing was also scheduled for today (June 23) to record her statement again. Meanwhile, the Court allowed her mother only to meet her at Darul Aman. Satram Das stated that if Ravita stands with her in-laws then they will withdraw the case.

Taking to the Daily Times, Advocate Ali Palh of Rights Now Pakistan later became party in the Ravita case. He revealed that their plea was that Ravita is underage and her marriage was in contradiction of Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act’s 2013 article 20, therefore, her marriage should be declared null and void. Meanwhile, he also referred the case of Anjali and Peshawar Church as reference to the court. He added that if the parents withdraw the case, they will continue to fight as her certificates and physical appearance show her to be underage.

Published in Daily Times, June 23rd, 2017.