An Indian woman has sought the intervention of the Lahore High Court in Pakistan, seeking custody of her two minor sons. The petitioner, Farzana Begum, alleges that her Pakistani husband, Yousaf Elahi Mirza, is illegally keeping their children with him in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to Pakistani news outlet Dawn, Begum appeared before the Lahore court alongside her lawyer, Bushra Qamar. Qamar informed the court that Begum married Mirza in 2015 in the UAE. The couple had two sons, Ibrahim and Ismail, born in 2016 and 2017, respectively.
However, the situation took a turn in 2018 when the couple moved to Lahore. Begum discovered that she was Mirza’s fourth wife. Begum’s lawyer alleged that Mirza subjected her to torture and forced her out of the house. He also accused Mirza of forcibly taking away the children.
During the court hearing, Begum expressed her desire to live with her sons in Pakistan. A government law officer informed the court that Mirza had taken the minors to the UAE. It was revealed that Mirza frequently traveled between Pakistan and the UAE due to his business in the Gulf region.
After reviewing the arguments presented, Justice Amjad Rafiq instructed Begum’s counsel to provide the court with legal grounds for bringing the minors back to Pakistan from the UAE. The counsel assured the court that she would present multiple judgments and laws to support their request for the “abducted minors” extradition.
The judge adjourned the hearing to next week, leaving the fate of the children in limbo.
