LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday restrained the police from harassing an Indian woman who approached the court alleging that officers had raided her home and pressured her to end her marriage to a Pakistani man.
Justice Farooq Haider issued the order while hearing a petition filed under Article 199 of the Constitution by the woman — a former Sikh who said she travelled to Pakistan for religious purposes, converted to Islam, and subsequently married her Pakistani husband, the second petitioner. The couple resides in Farooqabad, Sheikhupura district.
According to the petition, a copy of which is available with Dawn, the police allegedly conducted two illegal raids, on November 8 and 11, at the instigation of another local resident who objected to the woman’s marriage on the basis of her former religion. The petition claimed that station house officers of Sheikhupura and Nankana Sahib entered the couple’s house, harassed them, and pressured the woman to dissolve the marriage.
The petitioners argued that the police action violated their constitutional rights, particularly Article 9 (security of person) and Article 35 (protection of the family), which obligate the state to safeguard the life, liberty and dignity of spouses. It added that while the husband is a Pakistani citizen, the wife has applied to extend her visa and has initiated the process to obtain Pakistani nationality.
They further contended that the harassment was unlawful and infringed upon their fundamental rights, warning that they would suffer “irreparable loss and injury” without intervention from the court. The petition requested directives for the police to cease interference in their matrimonial life and avoid any further intimidation.
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After hearing the arguments, Justice Haider barred the police from harassing the couple and sought adherence to constitutional protections guaranteed to all residents, regardless of faith or nationality.
The case comes against the backdrop of mounting concerns over police conduct and rising threats to religious minorities. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), in a report released in August, noted an alarming increase in violence against minorities, including targeted killings of Ahmadis and extra-judicial killings of individuals accused of blasphemy. The HRCP reiterated the need for comprehensive reforms in law enforcement agencies and robust accountability mechanisms.
The LHC’s direction is expected to offer the couple temporary relief as the case proceeds, while also underscoring judicial insistence on protecting marriage, personal liberty and religious freedom from unlawful interference.
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