Pakistan/UK: Judicial conference on child contact, abduction and forced marriage cases

The UK and Pakistan work closely on these difficult cases, but there are currently no formal agreements. The conference gave the two judiciaries an opportunity to explore the possibilities of producing a set of protocols.

The UK and Pakistan have agreed in principle on a Judicial Protocol on abduction of children. Under this Protocol, the abducted children either from Pakistan or from Britain, “whichever the country may be, the courts in Pakistan will have the jurisdiction, first to determine the habitual or ordinary residence of the child. If it is proved that his residence was in Britain, he will be sent to Britain and if it is proved that his ordinary residence was in Pakistan then he will be retained in Pakistan,” said Justice Sheikh Riaz.