A 12-year-old Pakistani Christian girl who had been kidnapped, held in bondage, forced to convert and marry a 45-year-old man, is home after a court ruled in her favour.
Faisalabad District and Sessions Court ruled Tuesday that Farah Shaheen should be allowed to return to her father and siblings. Judge Rana Masood Akhtar declared the girl's marriage to 45-year-old Khizar Ahmed Ali (Hayat) invalid, saying it had not been registered with the local authorities. The judge also declared inconclusive the results of court-ordered medical tests giving Ms Shaheen's age as 16 or 17.
