Getting back passport is not so easy

Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik is gradually realising the power of Indian judiciary. He thought he would easily get the passport back, since he had come to a compromise with his first wife Ayesha Siddiqui who had withdrawn her complaint against him after he gave her the divorce.

But, advocates say it is not so easy to close the case once the FIR had been filed in the criminal courts. After filing the quash petition in the court, it might take at least three months to close it. The judge would summon both Ayesha and Shoaib to the court on the same day, ask them to stand nearer to each other, make an open statement that they had come to a compromise and got divorced.

The judge would ask Ayesha whether she was withdrawing the case wilfully and Shoaib whether he got divorced legally. Then, he would ask the public prosecutor to know whether he had any objections. If everything goes well, then the judge might direct the police to close the case and return the passport to Shoaib.

Shaoib wants to avoid meeting Ayesha and all the nuisance which would be exploited by the media again. He moved a petition in the High Court, stating that it made little sense now to continue the case any more as Ayesha herself has withdrawn the petition. “Following the advice of well-wishers and friends, we settled the issue amicably and all the disputes are resolved now. Under these circumstances, holding back my passport is unnecessary and also illegal. It is also injuring my reputation. Moreover, I have to make arrangements to go to Sialkot and organise the reception,” he said.

He pointed out that the additional public prosecutor in this case has given an opinion that all the sections slapped against him under this case are compoundable, meaning they can be compromised. However, the High Court posted the case to Monday again. Under these circumstances, it is not known how long Shoaib has to stay in Hyderabad.