Clues point to Dua’s presence in Lahore

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday revealed that the police have traced the location of Dua Zehra, a teenage girl who went missing from Karachi's Alfalah Society area last week.

The 13-year-old girl is believed to be residing in Lahore after getting married on her free will, a copy of purported marriage certificate, available with The Express Tribune, has come to light.

The marriage certificate has been shared with the Karachi police, said Lahore DIG (Operations) Abid Khan.

"The police are trying to trace the girl using the residential address given on the certificate," he said, adding that police have yet to find the teenager.

The senior police officer added that multiple police teams have been formed to trace the girl and added that details will emerge after the recovery of Dua Zehra.

Meanwhile Karachi Police Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) SSP Zubair Nazir Sheikh while talking to The Express Tribune said that having traced Dua Zehra in Lahore and reportedly married to a man named Zaheer Ahmed son of Munir Ahmed, police are now verifying the purported nikahnama or marriage certificate.

SSP Sheikh said that a team of Karachi police will also reach Lahore shortly.

Syed Mehdi Ali Kazmi, the father of the missing girl, said it was not yet confirmed if the Lahore police had recovered his daughter in light of recent developments.

Commenting on the marriage certificate, the father said his daughter is not 18-year-old and he does not know anyone named Zaheer.

According to the nikahnama, Dua was purportedly born in 2001 and was aged 18 years at the time of the nikah.

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However, PPP leader Shehla Raza, who visited Dua's parents, said the girl is 13-year-old as per her B-Form (Child Registration Certificate issued by NADRA).

Her location in Lahore is reportedly the Sherakot area of the provincial capital and the groom lives in Sher Shah Colony on Raiwind Road.

On April 16, Dua Zehra had gone missing from Golden Town of Alfalah Society area. Police had registered a case and launched an investigation the same day.

Following the teenager's disappearance, an FIA cybercrime team had also visited her home and reviewed her social media accounts, digital devices and gaming platforms.

Actors Mahira Khan, Ahsan Khan, Sajal Aly and Maya Ali, among others, had taken to Twitter and tagged official accounts of relevant authorities to bring their attention to case of the missing teenage girl Dua Zehra, amidst political chaos in the country.Fourteen-year-old Dua went missing on April 16 from the Golden Town area of Al Falah in Karachi.

As soon as the news came into the mainstream media, social media users have been sharing Dua’s picture and information to find leads and help progress the case for her safe return.

Police recover kidnaped sisters

The Anti-Violent Crime Cell police have recovered two sisters aged 13 and 15 from Bohra Pir area and arrested a suspect, Bilal Muhammad Khan, on charges of kidnapping.

On April 19, the children’s father Punhal Khan had filed a missing report. Subsequently, police started investigation, and seven days later, recovered the two sisters from the remits of Eid Gah police station.

While police managed to arrest Bilal, his accomplice managed to escape.

During initial questioning Bilal told the police that he and his absconding friend wanted to marry the two sisters.

With input by Sameer Mandhro

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2022.