Sex-change woman told marriage is 'illegal'

A couple from Pakistan have been told their marriage is "illegal" and that they may be imprisoned because the husband had a sex-change 16 years ago.

Shumail Raj and his bride Shahzina Tariq married in 2000 but now Ms Tariq's father wants to have the marriage annulled on religious grounds, the Associated Press reports.

The case was first brought to Lahore High Court after Mr Raj complained of harassment by the couple's relatives and asked for protection. However, because Ms Tariq's family have complained about his gender, and the couple were arrested for perjury.

Judge Kahawaja Mohammed Sharif warned that the couple could be charged with "committing an act of unnatural lust", for which they could be sentenced to life in prison, and for lying in court which has a maximum sentence of seven years.

When asked by the judge whether he was a man or a woman, Mr Raj replied "yes, I am a woman. I had two operations but still I'm a woman", while Ms Tariq also told the court that she considered her husband to be a woman.

The presiding judge said: "Islam and Pakistani law don't allow such marriages. A marriage of same sex is not allowed in our country."

According to the couple, they married so that Ms Tariq could not be sold into marriage to pay off her uncle's gambling debts.