This is Misbah Rana, known in Scotland as Molly Campbell, pictured after the verdict in the Lahore High Court earlier today. After a 3 month battle through the court, the Pakistani court decided that Misbah had to be handed over to the British High Commission within 7 days. Molly, aged 12, had flown to Pakistan with her older sister last August to be with her father. Before then, she lived with her mother, Louise Campbell, in Stornoway and went to school there. The Court of Session in Edinburgh had decided, when Molly's parents separated, that her mother should have temporary custody of the girl.
Following the Lahore court ruling, Molly will be returned to Scotland where the Court of Session will rule on her permanent custody. Naturally, the girl herself will have a say on the issue. Her mother is said to be elated at the outcome; Misbah was very upset. She has made it very plain that she preferred to be with her father. It could have been that way, as an informal arrangement had been in the pipeline. Under this, Misbah would have stayed in Pakistan, but spent holidays in Stornoway. Unfortunately, her father insisted that she wouldn't be able to leave the country until she was 14, a stipulation branded as unreasonable by the judge, as he threw the proposal out.
I wonder how Molly's return to Stornoway will go down here. She has made some unpleasant statements about her treatment in the community here, alleging racism. At the end of the day, I am just pleased that the rule of law, whether in the UK or in Pakistan, is seen to be upheld, and that nobody is above that.
I just caught this story on the BBC this morning, Personally I am leaning more toward what the girl wants, she seems very mature for her age, but then kids from divorced parents age a lil quicker than those that come from a intact family.
ReplyDeleteI just hate it when I see kids in these types of situations. It does permanent emotional damage and they never get over the heartache of their parents haggling back and forth. It's very sad....Linda in Washington state
ReplyDeleteI just hope Mary doesn't resent her mother for trying to make the best choice for her. I hope she will be able to handle living in Scotland on a daily basis. It is all so emotional.
ReplyDeleteachhhh! how awful guido! hat young girl looks so sad...:(
ReplyDeleteperhaps her father is acting out of concerns that she follow their customs and social norms for a young girl and prahps it would nto be appropriate for ehr to stay with ehr dad until she is older
hugs,nat
This story just keeps continuing. I'm still not sure how I feel about this. I've seen Molly speaking. She does seem to know where she wants to live but then again she is only 12. Whatever the outcome, the child will suffer. Chris
ReplyDeleteI had been wondering how that was going. I hope things get worked out to everyone's satisfaction, and that the girl can be happy. At 14, though, I think her mother's just getting the first taste of what she may have to put up with for the next few years. That's a rough age. So, her father was unreasonable about the arrangements that were in the works? He probably won't like the permanent custody outcome then, because I doubt that he'll get what he's wanting.
ReplyDeleteLori
These stories are always of interest to me since my daughter had a son with a Sudanese and Arabic Muslim from Khartoum. He, however, gave up all his claims on the child to the man she married who adopted Jamal. I naturally heard a great many scary stories about fathers from the middle east abducting their children, etc. You are alert for everything when experiencing some of the fears related to these children. Gerry
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