A district and sessions court reserved judgment on Thursday on an application for the custody of a three-year-old child.

The applicant, Yasmeen, had filed a habeas corpus application in the court of District and Sessions Judge Central Syed Al-e-Maqbool Rizvi stating that after her divorce, the mother of her former husband had forcibly taken her child away and the child had been in her custody in the jurisdiction of the Aziz Abad police station.

The applicant’s counsel Shabana Chowhan said that the judge was quite puzzled and wondered what decision to announce because the matter was “very sensitive.” The judge reserved judgment till July 8.

The defence counsel, however, contended that if the child’s custody matter fell under the Guardians and Wards Act, the court should dispose of the matter so that it could be pursued in the court concerned.

The applicant also contended that according to Section 12 of the Guardians and Wards Act, the custody of a child should be given to the mother.

The applicant further contended that whoever moves an application was entitled to take custody of the child. She said that the respondents were intending to send the child to her father in Saudia Arabia, and all required documents had been obtained in this regard.

However, the matter was later taken to the Judicial Magistrate Guardians and Wards, Roshan Ali Boghio, who also adjourned the case till July 8 on the pretext that it should be decided in the court of the district and sessions judge first.