Legal battle looms over abduction row girl

The parents of a 12-year-old British girl at the centre of an abduction row were today on course for a legal battle after she revealed she had gone to Pakistan voluntarily.

Molly Campbell disappeared from her home in the Western Isles last Friday amid fears she had been kidnapped.

But speaking in Lahore, Molly said she had gone of her own free will.

Today both parents said they would fight to have Molly live with them.

In a statement issued by solicitors Balfour and Manson, her mother Louise Campbell, her legal guardian, said: “We have agreed we are not going to say anything. We are acting in the best interests of the child and we’re doing all we can to secure Molly back. We’re pursuing the proper lines to get Molly back.”

However Molly’s father, Sajad Ahmed Rana, has also hired a legal team to fight for her.

“We are preparing for a legal guardian lawsuit for her father and will proceed for interim custody and then for guardianship,” said family lawyer Mohammed Basit.

Mr Basit revealed the application would be filed in the courts on either Saturday or Monday.

A massive investigation was launched after it emerged the girl had flown to Pakistan with her sister and father.

Speaking at a press conference, Molly said she had asked her older sister to take her to Pakistan.

Also known as Misbah Iram Ahmed Rana, the schoolgirl said: “It was my own choice. I asked my sister if I could go. I went with my sister. I would like to stay in Pakistan with my father and my name isn’t Molly, it is Misbah.

“I knew that my mum would miss me, but I miss my family. It was hard to not see my family and I had to live with my mum and I wanted to live with my family. I thought I could live with my dad and I could still see my mum.”

Her father said: “It is her choice. She is free to go wherever she wants to go.”

Molly also spoke on the phone to her mother in England for 10 minutes today.

Earlier this week her distressed mother made an emotional appeal for her return.

Today Glasgow Central Labour MP Mohammad Sarwar, a family friend, arrived in Pakistan and spoke to Molly and her father.

He said: “Molly has confirmed to me that she left the country of her own will, of her own accord. There is no question of forced marriage and Molly has told her mother that. She and the family would love her mother to come here to Pakistan and stay with them.”

Mr Sarwar has known Molly’s father, who lived in his Glasgow constituency, for around 20 years.

The MP said Molly would remain in Pakistan for the time being, however Northern Constabulary, the force responsible for investigating the abduction claims, said a report had now been sent to prosecutors.

A Crown Office spokesman said: “The procurator fiscal at Stornoway has now received a police report in relation to Molly Campbell. The procurator fiscal will give careful consideration to this report.”

Molly was picked up by her 18-year-old sister, Tahmina, in the morning and the pair flew to Glasgow from Stornoway.

They then flew to Lahore with their father, who was divorced from Molly’s mother in 2001.

Molly’s older brother, Omar, 21, said he was angered by accusations she had been abducted.

He said: “For my mum to turn around saying that dad is doing the kidnapping is wrong. If anything, my mum is doing the kidnapping, taking my little sister away and not keeping in contact with the family.”

Omar said his younger sister had pleaded to be taken away from her mother.

“She said: ’If you don’t get me out of here, I am going to run away myself’. She said: ’Take me with you’,” he added.

Omar spoke to Molly after she arrived in Pakistan, and she told him: “I am really happy I am here. It was really hard. All I did was cry in my room.”

Omar, who lives in Manchester, said the family had been concerned about Molly, who, he said, was not happy staying with her mother and partner.

He said his mother had left the family home in 2000 after having a relationship with current partner Kenny Campbell.

Mr Sarwar, who met Mrs Campbell ahead of his visit to Pakistan, added: “One thing was very clear when I spoke to the children – they love their mother.

“I spoke to the mother and she loves her children. We now need to find a mechanism whereby they can go and meet each other freely and remove the suspicion against each other.”