British mum to come to Pakistan for custody case

LAHORE, Pakistan, Oct 11 (Reuters) A British mother fighting her Pakistani ex-husband for custody of their 12-year-old daughter will come to Pakistan to appear in court when the hearing is reconvened next month, her lawyer said.

Lawyers said a decision in the tug-of-love over Molly Campbell is likely next month, after the judge adjourned proceedings at the Lahore High Court yesterday as both sides wound up their arguments.

Judge Mian Saqib Nisar noted the failure of the girl's mother and legal guardian, Louise Campbell, to come to Pakistan to appear in court.

Lawyer Naheeda Mehboob Ellahi said Campbell had applied for travel documents and she would be present in future.

Molly, who is known by the Muslim side of her family as Misbah Irum Ahmed Rana, left her mother in Scotland in August to be with her father and older sister in Pakistan.

Her mother challenged the right of her ex-husband, Sajjad Ahmed Rana, and elder daughter, Tehmina, to have custody.

The judge asked Campbell's counsellor to submit an answer on November 2 to her ex-husband's offer to allow her to stay with the children at his residence as along as she wanted.

The court barred the girl last month from being taken outside Lahore and ordered the surrender of her passport until the case is settled.

A guardian court on September 30 allowed her father, Sajjad Ahmed Rana, to retain temporary custody of her for three more weeks.

Pakistan and Britain signed an agreement in 2003 under which police and judicial authorities in both countries help each other resolve some 400 cases of disputes over children brought from Britain to Pakistan every year.

REUTERS DH RAI0437