Wife gatecrashes husband's attempt at clandestine third wedding in Karachi

KARACHI: A groom was beaten up by the family of his first wife as he was discovered tying the knot for the third time without her prior permission in Karachi's North Nazimabad area.

The groom registered a case against the assailants for gatecrashing the wedding and roughing him up.

The incident took place within the remit of Taimuria police station in Block L of North Nazimabad.

According to police, both the parties have been advised to approach the court dealing with civil cases, adding that they have no reason to keep the groom under custody.

The police, however, said that as the groom was injured and wanted to initiate legal action against his assailants, hence, he has been sent to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medico-legal formalities.

The groom spoke to media about his ordeal, saying: “She is my first wife. My relation with her has ended. It happened recently ... a few days ago. I will send [a legal] notice, too, and my lawyer will speak to them as well.”

Meanwhile, the wife claimed that her husband had secretly carried out a second marriage in 2018 and was now caught attempting a third in a similar manner.

“I came to know about his (husband’s) second marriage in 2018. The girl messaged me, telling me that she is his wife,” said the woman, adding that at that time her husband had dismissed the matter, saying "the other woman was making a fool out of her."

The woman further said that her husband told her he was only going to Hyderabad but was instead having his Valima reception. “He is just like a fraud,” she alleged.

Under the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance 1961, a written permission is required from the first wife before tying the knot for a second time.

While hearing a case in June 2019, the Islamabad High Court had declared the permission from the arbitration council mandatory for second marriage, even if the husband has prior permission from the first wife.