HC orders release of Pak woman languishing in beggars' home

The Delhi High Court today directed that a Pakistani woman, who has been languishing in a beggars' home here since May, be released, saying she had lawfully married an Indian here in 1983 and allowed her to reunite with her family to celebrate Eid.
Allowing a habeas corpus plea filed by her husband Mohd. Gulfam, a resident of Kala Masjid Turkman gate, for his wife's release, a bench of justices Kailash Gambhir and Indermeet Kaur ordered for Nuzhat Jahan's release.
"Undeniably, we do not find any justification in detention of the petitioner (Nuzhat) in a solitary confinement in the Beggar's Home, Nirmal Chhaya Parisar, Delhi as persuasive when, undisputably, the petitioner had lawfully married Mohd. Gulfam, and was holding a valid passport and valid long-term visa.

"No doubt, the Pakistan authorities did not renew the passport of the petitioner and there is a possibility that on that account, the visa of the petitioner was also not renewed by the Indian Government, however the petitioner did take necessary steps to seek renewal of her passport and extension of her long-term visa," the bench said.