Court seeks arguments on Meera's appeal

LAHORE: A sessions court directed on Wednesday lawyers representing Meera and her alleged husband Attique-ur Rehman to present their arguments over an appeal moved by the former challenging a family court’s ruling that declared her marriage to the latter valid and their nikkahnama original.

Additional sessions judge Adnan Tariq directed the lawyers to appear on the next hearing along with record of the case to forward their arguments.

The hearing was adjourned till May 20.

Meera through her appeal assailed the Nov 17, 2018 verdict of a Lahore sessions court that had upheld the family court’s May 2018 decision declaring her to be the businessman’s wife.

The actor stated before the court that the family court erroneously decided her case without taking into account the real facts.

Maintaining that she didn’t know Attique-ur-Rehman, Meera requested the judge to set aside the family court’s verdict and declare that the nikkahnama is forged.

In its 18-page long verdict, the family court had earlier ruled that the marriage certificate of Meera and Atiq was genuine.

The court stated that all the pictures and other evidences provided to the court were valid and the two were legally married. However, it observed that it appeared during the recording of statements of witnesses that the dispute started between the parties some nine years ago over a house located in Defence.

“The court believes that both the spouses could not carry forward their marital life further, therefore they should be released of their relationship,” said the court.

In July 25, 2009, the film actress had filed the lawsuit seeking orders to restrain her “self-proclaimed” husband from calling her his wife. Both the parties made complete efforts to establish a case against each other through different applications, most of the pleas were filed by Attique-ur-Rehman.

However, the court said all the evidences were valid and the two were legally married.