| I love seeing the occasional happy ending. |
HYDERABAD: District and Sessions Judge Hyderabad Zaheeruddin Leghari set free the love marriage couple, Sodi and Abdul Hakeem, on Saturday. The couple had been languishing in jail in a Hudood Ordinance case for the past five years. "We are very happy today because we are free now to live our lives together after long years of imprisonment," said Sodi after the court order. She particularly thanked the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, on taking notice of her complaint and getting the case decided. Sodi also thanked Justice Nasir Aslam Zahid who arranged their legal defence. Abdul Hakeem also expressed similar emotions. The couple said they would not go back to their village in Bulri Shah Karim, an old town in newly-formed district Tando Mohammed Khan, for they feared attack by Sodi's relations. They demanded protection against attack by her relations.
Earlier, the district judge resumed hearing of the case that was put off on Friday and recorded statements of rest of the persons concerned. They were Sodi, Abdul Hakeem, his father, Hakim, and Nikahkhwan Mohammed Soomar Parhiar. Sodi told the judge she was not kidnapped by anyone, but she married Abdul Hakeem of her free own will.