It noted inconsistencies between the father’s own FIR, which stated her age as 13/14, and the delayed issuance of the birth and Nadra registration documents.
The birth registration certificate, issued by Lahore’s Canal View union council, bore both the date of entry and issuance as Nov 13, 2019, while the Child Registration Certificate issued by Nadra was dated Sept 12, 2022.
Both were obtained years after the alleged date of birth.
The petitioner’s counsel could not offer any plausible explanation for the inordinate delay.
In the absence of such an explanation, the probative value of the documents was “significantly diminished”, particularly as delayed registrations are susceptible to manipulation unless corroborated by reliable evidence.
The FCC further noted that the CRC reflected a gap of less than eight months between the alleged birth of Maria Bibi and that of her sister Sania, born on June 4, 2013 — a proximity that cast additional doubt on the alleged date of birth.
Moreover, Maria Bibi herself had her date of birth recorded as Feb 1, 2007 in the Nikahnama and refuted her father’s claim that she’s a minor. Her physical appearance before the court also suggested a more advanced age.
In these circumstances, the FCC held that the documents could not be relied upon as proof of the alleged date of birth of Oct 7, 2012.
Before dismissing the petition, the FCC concluded that the high court had correctly appreciated the controversy and reached a well-founded decision based on the relevant law.
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