Brothers who wanted to fly sick mother to Pakistan lose London court fight

A Court of Protection judge said decisions about the woman’s future treatment should be made at a court hearing in England.

Two brothers who wanted to take their sick elderly mother to Pakistan after doctors in London said her treatment should stop have lost a court fight (PA) (PA Archive)

Two brothers who wanted to take their sick elderly mother to Pakistan after doctors in London said her treatment should stop have lost a court fight.

They had claimed she is a Pakistani national, that Pakistani courts have jurisdiction, and that Pakistani law applies.

But a judge in London says decisions about the woman’s future treatment should be made at a court hearing in England.

Mrs Justice Knowles’s ruling comes after a hearing in the Court of Protection, where judges consider issues relating to people who may lack the mental capacity to make their own choices.

She says the woman, who has a brain injury and is in her 70s, cannot be identified.

Her sons wanted to fly by air ambulance to Karachi.

But Mrs Justice Knowles, who is based in the Family Division of the High Court, has ruled against them after being told the woman lives in London.

Lawyers representing the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, which is responsibility for the woman’s care, had begun litigation.

They wanted rulings on what moves were in the woman’s best interests after doctors said life-support treatment should end.

The judge was not asked to make any decision about treatment.

She has only ruled on jurisdiction and other preliminary issues.