FCCP grants adult convert to Islam right to choose residence

ISLAMABAD, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 21st May, 2026) The Federal Constitutional Court has dismissed a petition filed by the parents of a young woman seeking her custody, granting the convert to islam the right to reside where she chooses.

A two-member bench, led by Justice Aamer Farooq, heard the case on Thursday. During the proceedings, the Additional Advocate General of Punjab informed the court that a medical examination had been conducted to determine the young woman's age. The report confirmed that Ayesha—formerly known as Sonia, a resident of Lahore—is between 19 and 19.5 years old.

The court had ordered the medical examination during the previous hearing due to discrepancies between provided documentation and Ayesha's own claims regarding her age. Her counsel, Waseem Mumtaz, noted that the medical assessment was conducted in accordance with the court's directive to verify her maturity.

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Addressing the case, Justice Aamer Farooq remarked that because the woman is an adult, she has the full legal right to live according to her own volition. The court further advised Ayesha to remain open to meeting with her parents if they express a desire to do so.

During the hearing, it was stated that the woman, a resident of Lahore, had adopted the name Ayesha after converting to Islam. She testified before the court that her parents had been pressuring her to renounce Islam and revert to Christianity.

It is pertinent to note that, during the previous hearing, the Constitutional Court had ordered Ayesha to be placed in a Dar-ul-Aman (women’s shelter) until a final decision was reached. With this ruling, the court has now disposed of the parents' custody petition and concluded the proceedings.