About two and a half years back she took a vow to bring to book the three clerics who had made her life hell, conspiring with her husband and his family to get her divorced through a fake talaqnama.
She waged a lonely battle to fulfil her vow.
And she finally tasted success when a local court directed police to register a case against the three clerics and investigate the charges against them.
Nishat Fatima, who had been married in 2004 and had a four-year-old daughter, when she suddenly came to know in 2009 that she had been divorced. Her husband claimed he had a valid talaqnama (divorce papers) prepared by the clerics in accordance with their religion. Her husband remarried soon after the ‘divorce’.
Her sister and a relative, who were married into the same family, were also divorced in the same manner. The same clerics had prepared the talaqnama for both, Fatima said.
The three victims had created a ruckus at the local madarsa, the Islamic seminary with which the clerics were associated.
“We came to know that these clerics used to prepare talaqnamas for money,” she alleged.
While her sister and her other relative resigned to their fate and decided not to pursue the matter further, Fatima had other ideas.
“I had decided not allow the clerics to get away with it. I thought they will continue to make life hell for many women,” she said.
Fatima approached police to register a case against the clerics. But she did not succeed. She finally moved court.
The court, a few days ago, ordered police to register a case against the clerics and start an investigation.
“It took me more than two and a half years. But I have succeeded in my efforts,” she said.
“I received threats from several quarters. But I was determined to pursue the matter,” she said, hoping that the offenders will be punished.
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