Pakistani court hears same sex marriage case

Lahore, May 26 (UNI) The High Court here hearing a same sex marriage case has granted the defence counsel of the couple a three-day extension to respond to two show cause notices filed against his clients for committing an ''unnatural act'' and perjury.

The two show cause notices were issued on May 23 with a response deadline set for two days later. However, the defence laywer had argued he could not comply with the court directives unless he was allowed to visit the defendants in the respective jails in Lahore and Faisalabad.

Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, therefore, yesterday directed the jail superintendents to allow the defence counsel to meet his clients, Shumail at Kot Lakhpat jail and Shehzina at the Faisalabad jail.

The Judge observed that charges against the ''she-couple'' might be framed at the next hearing once the defence counsel respond to the notices.

On the court's query, Shumail said she had her breasts removed some eight or ten years ago.

According to Shumail, she did this only to salvage Shehzina, whose father wanted to marry her off against her will to pay his outstanding debt.

Shumail told the presiding Judge that one Dr Asif, who at the time was running a clinic in Faisalabad, performed the breast surgery.

The Judge ordered that a show cause notice be served on Dr Asif, and directed SHO Jhang Bazaar, Faisalabad, to produce him before the court at the next hearing.

Justice Sharif observed that the same-sex marriage case was the first of its kind to come before the judiciary in the history of the subcontinent, adding the court would take matter to its logical end. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for May 28.

UNI