Supreme Court sends two Hindu girls to shelter home in Karachi

The Supreme Court on Monday sent two Hindu girls to a shelter home in Karachi for three weeks, allegedly converted to Islam forcibly so that they could make up their mind with whom they wanted to go. Dr Lata Kumari and Rinkle Kumari - two Hindu girls appeared before the Supreme Court amid allegations by Hindu community that they were kidnapped and subsequently married off with Muslim boys at gunpoint.
The Supreme Court gave three weeks time to the girls with directives to make a decision at their own without any fear and pressure as with whom they wanted to go - husbands or parents. The body language of Rinkle Kumari - one of the Hindu girls was worth noticing when she had a glimpse of her mom who was present in the court. The girl seemed a bit helpless but did break the silence that she would opt to go with her mom instead of husband.
The helplessness became crystal clear when Rinkle burst into tears. She kept on crying, saying that she wanted to go with her mom. She claimed that she had not signed the previously recorded statement. The parents and relatives of the girls were present in the court, shouting slogans.
A three-Judge comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Khilji Arif Hussain and Justice Tariq Parvez also ordered the police officers to escort both girls back to Karachi in safe custody. The bench in its order observed that though undoubtedly both girls - Rinkle Kumari and Dr Lata had performed Nikah and joined their husbands but there were allegations of forced conversion.
It said that apparently there was a lot of pressure upon both girls by the parents and the courts, so after recording their statements in camera, they were of the opinion that they required time, free from pressures and take a decision about their future. The bench allowed both girls to stay for three-weeks in shelter house named 'Panah' owned by Majeeda Rizvi, a senior lawyer.
The bench was hearing a constitutional petition moved by Pakistan Hindu Council. During the course of proceedings, the bench allowed applications of all parties for hearing. Justice Chaudhary told Malik Qamar Afzal and Mujeeb Pirzada - counsels for Syed Naveed Shah, husband of Rinkle and Dr Khalid Ranjha, counsel for Nadir Baig, husband of Dr Lata that these girls might require some time to think over their future in a free atmosphere. He opined that under the charged atmosphere and pressure from parents, court and husbands, they would not be able to do so.
Justice Tariq Parvez observed that the issue should not be treated in the backdrop of religious affiliations but it was a common practice even in the non-Muslim families that girls and boys marry without their parents' consent. Dr Khalid Ranjha requested the bench to send them to shelter house which was already ordered by Sindh High Court. To an objection made by the lawyer of Rinkle's parents, the CJP said that they were against all kinds of illegal confinement.
"We would not compel anyone but for the sake of parents, they would write in their order, about granting of time to the girls to think over their future life," he added. Raising a query, the chief justice said that now the difficulty was that they had embraced Islam and solemnised Nikah. Rinkle was summoned by the bench to rostrum and questioned her about her education, to which she replied that she had done intermediate with science subjects but later could not clearly respond to other questions.
When the CJP realised that the girl was facing difficulty in replying to the questions of the bench, he requested all people including counsels and media representatives to leave the courtroom to record her statement in-camera. After a brief period, people were allowed to come back to the courtroom and the CJP handed over a written statement of Rinkle to Mujeeb Pirzada to read out. The atmosphere in the courtroom grew a bit tense when Dr Ramesh, father of Dr Lata, stood up and shouted loudly that her daughter wanted to go with him but was forcibly held back. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary ordered that the two girls should be brought before the court on April 18. He also directed the authorities concerned to ensure full security to the girls.