Forced to marry a Pakistani man, Indian woman returns home

Thursday 25th May 2017 07:03 EDT
 

The Indian woman who alleged she was forcibly married at gun point, is returned to India today. Accompanied by Indian mission officials and escorted by Pakistani police personnel, she crossed into India through the Wagah Border crossing near Amritsar an official said. “The Indian woman was happy and excited to leave for her homeland,” a Pakistan Rangers official informed.

In her early 20s, Uzma, originally from Delhi, had petitioned the Islamabad High Court on May 12, that she be allowed to return home urgently as her daughter from her first marriage in India suffered from Thalassemia. Welcoming her, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted, “Uzma- Welcome home India's daughter. I am sorry for all that you have gone through.” The woman arrived in Pakistan on May 1, and travelled to Buner district in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, where she was married to Ali Tahir on May 3. She later came to Islamabad and took refuge at the Indian High Commission, alleging that she was forced to marry at gun point.

Tahir rejected her allegations, and expressed a desire to mend the relation. He petitioned the court requesting to be allowed to meet “his wife”. A single bench of Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard both the pleas and after hearing their arguments allowed Uzma to return to India. It issued orders for her safe return, asking the police to escort her to Wagah. The court also returned her the immigration papers which she had said was taken away by Ali, who had submitted the documents after being told by the court to do so.


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