A BAHRAINI father is waiting to be joined by his baby daughter whom he has not seen after his pregnant wife fled Bahrain and gave birth in her own country.
The 33-year-old man was granted custody of his two children – a two-year-old boy and the girl – by the Bahraini courts and diplomatic efforts are underway to return the children from Pakistan in collaboration with the Foreign Ministry.
Defence lawyers Zainab Essa and Zahra Al Sayed Ali told the GDN that the father has never seen his daughter as his Pakistani wife fled Bahrain with his son while she was pregnant in September last year.
“The verdict will be implemented through the diplomatic channels,” they said in a joint statement to the GDN.
“The father won custody of his two children after the court issued a verdict revoking the mother’s right over the two children.”
According to court documents, the 30-year-old mother travelled outside the country (Bahrain) of the children’s guardian – their father – without his permission.
According to Article 134 of the Family Law, “a female custodian may not reside with the child in custody in another country except by permission of his/her guardian or custodian”.
It also stipulates that the right of custody shall be rescinded if the custodian settles in a country where it is difficult for the guardian of the child in custody to perform his duties.
“The defendant travelled to Pakistan with the children without a prior arrangement,” said the children’s grandfather, a 66-year-old Bahraini man, in his testimony.
“My son went to Pakistan a week later but his wife informed him that she will not return to Bahrain and requested that funds be sent to her as she wants to reside in Pakistan.”
According to data provided by the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs Authority, the mother left Bahrain on September 16 last year without returning to Bahrain after that date.
Court documents also established that the baby girl was born on December 8, after the mother left Bahrain allowing the court to rule that her custody be revoked.
“The defendant will no longer have custody of the children who will be returned to their father,” added the court in its ruling.
“The mother will also be required to turn over their identification documents to their father and the ruling will include expedited enforcement.”
reem@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))