Pakistan court dismisses petition seeking deaf, mute girl Geeta's custody

A Pakistani court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by an Indian social worker seeking custody of a deaf and mute Indian girl stuck in Pakistan for more than a decade, refusing to issue orders for her "forced repatriation".

Social worker and lawyer from Haryana, Momineen Malik, had filed the petition in Sindh High Court in Karachi to seek the custody of 23-year-old Geeta. Malik, filed the application through local lawyers, seeking an order for return of the girl to India. Geeta told the court through an expert that she wanted to go back to India.

The lawyer of Edhi Foundation charity which is looking after the welfare of the girl urged the court that governments of Pakistan and India should be involved in the case. After the hearing, the Sindh High Court refused to issue orders for her "forced repatriation". The court said that proper procedure should be adopted by foreign ministries of the two countries for her repatriation.

In India, five families have claimed that Geeta was their relative. Geeta has been stranded in Pakistan for the last 13 years after crossing over to Pakistan by mistake. She was arrested by Pakistan Rangers and then handed over to Edhi which has been taking care of her.