ISLAMABAD: The 26-year-old woman, who was allegedly detained in Jamia Hafsa, on Monday stated in a local court that she was ready to go home with her father.

Umme Hassan, the head of the seminary, also appeared in the court and said she had no objection if Uzma Qayyum wanted to go home.

On December 29, 2014, Sheikh Mohammad Qayyum filed an application with the human rights cell of the Supreme Court for the recovery of his daughter. Mr Qayyum alleged that his daughter had been detained in Jamia Hafsa.

He said his daughter took admission at Jamia Binaat-i-Ayesha, Rawalpindi, for a four-year religious course a few years ago. On June 16, 2014, Uzma went to the seminary but did not return home. Later, he came to know that she was in Jamia Hafsa.

Mr Qayyum alleged that her daughter had gone to Jamia Hafsa with Umme Hassan, the wife of Maulana Abdul Aziz. He said Umme Hassan regularly visited Jamia Binaat-i-Ayesha and was in touch with his daughter since 2013. He said he used all the possible channels, including religious personalities and the police, to recover his daughter but to no avail.

The apex court ordered Sessions Judge Nazir Ahmad Gujana to investigate the matter and submit a report. The judge first sent the woman to Darul Aman and then to the Benazir Bhutto Women Shelter Home and Crisis Centre at Sector H-8.

After two weeks, the woman was on Monday produced in the court again. Umme Hassan was also summoned by the court.

Lawyer Mohammad Haider Imtiaz told Dawn that the parents of Uzma met her at the shelter home many times but she told her parents that she would not go with them without the permission of Umme Hassan.

Umme Hassan told the court that she ran a welfare organisation and if someone wanted to seek shelter, she cannot refuse, he said.

“Umme Hassan also said it was a wrong impression that she helped girls run from their homes and then arranged their marriages,” advocate Imtiaz said.

The lawyer added: “Umme Hassan said she had no objection if the woman wanted to live with her family.”

Uzma told the court she would go home but her family should take her consent before her marriage. She said she wanted to study Shariat and become a teacher.

The woman also said there should be no restrictions on her from the family if she wanted to visit Jamia Hafsa and meet her friends and Umme Hassan.

Advocate Imtiaz said the father of the woman submitted an affidavit to the court that he would not force his daughter and allow her to live as she wanted.

“The case has been closed and now the court will prepare a report which will be sent to the Supreme Court,” he said.

Mr Qayyum told Dawn that he had been struggling for the recovery of his daughter for the last many months.

“I will not create hurdles in the way of my daughter and she will be married to a person of her choice,” he said.

Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2015

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