Mother's anguish at custody case

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The mother of runaway schoolgirl Misbah Rana has described the decision to end her legal fight for custody as the "most horrific" of her life.

Louise Campbell agreed to let her daughter, who is also known as Molly Campbell, live in Pakistan with the 12-year-old's father, Sajad Rana.

An out-of-court settlement gave Ms Campbell visiting rights, but she said she currently had no plans to do so.

Ms Campbell claimed she would need round-the-clock protection in Pakistan.

"I would love to but they know I won't go over," she told the Mail on Sunday newspaper.

"I am a pariah because I stopped being a Muslim and I received death threats.

Misbah with her mother before she left for Pakistan

"I've been offered 24-hour police protection if I go over. I have to risk my life to go over and see my daughter and leave my new baby daughter behind."

Under the out-of-court settlement reached last week, Mr Rana would cover the cost of Ms Campbell travelling to Pakistan from her home near Stornoway in the Western Isles.

She told the newspaper she had decided to give up her custody fight after she saw her daughter on television, saying she never wanted to see her mother again.

The 38-year-old said: "Molly did like it here. But she wants to be in Pakistan. I have to accept it."

Interim custody

And she added: "I have never given up on Molly and I never will.

"But when Molly looks back she will know that I fought as hard as I could for her and why."

Ms Campbell had been granted interim custody of her daughter by the Court of Session in Edinburgh last June.

However, Misbah insisted she wanted to live with her father's family in Pakistan.

Speaking after the agreement was reached last week, the 12-year-old said she was "really, really happy" to be able to stay in Pakistan.