Suspending the verdict given by a lower court, the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday ordered the release of a man on bail who had been handed down six-month prison term and Rs0.5 million in fine for contracting second marriage without first wife’s permission, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.  

Pronouncing the decision reserved on the petition of Ghulam Hussain who had challenged the lower court’s decision, Justice Miss Alia Neelum of the LHC also issued notices to the respondents and summoned lawyers on the next date of hearing for the arguments. 

Ghulam Hussain had been awarded sentence by a magistrate on October 20, 2020 while a sessions judge, on December 22, 2021, while rejecting the appeal filed by Hussain, had upheld the verdict given by the magistrate in the case.   

The man then approached the LHC where his lawyer argued that it was a family court, and not a local magistrate, who was authorized to decide such cases.  

He prayed to the court to suspend the sessions judge verdict and order the release of Hussain. 

Reporter Malik Ashraf