Court orders police to produce Dua Zehra

Bench observes Zehra keeps making videos, but police are unable to locate her

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court has issued a contempt of court notice to Anti-Violent Crime Cell (AVCC) SSP Zubair Nazir Sheikh and transferred the task to recover the Dua Zehra to Sindh IGP on the petition filed by her father about her underage marriage and alleged abduction.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro heard the petition regarding the alleged abduction of Zehra and her underage marriage. The court was furious over the non-production of Zehra in court.

Justice remarked: "Has the system become this weak, AG Sahib? The girl is making videos, holding a press conference, but the police cannot locate her." Justice Kalhoro asked the Investigating Officer (IO) where the girl was. The IO said that the girl was not found at the said address. Justice Kalhoro remarked that it meant something was wrong.

The IO told the court that the SSP had gone to Islamabad to attend a conference on human trafficking conference and that Zehra was not arrested.

The court remarked, "We have not asked to arrest her but have just asked to produce her before the court." The IO asked for respite. The court remarked that the police have only held press conferences and made claims.

Read Sindh police get two-day transitory remand of marriage witness in Dua Zehra case

The court issued a contempt notice to SSP AVCC Zubair Nazir Sheikh. The court directed to produce Zehra at the next hearing. The court adjourned the hearing till May 24.

Marriage certificate

Significant progress has been made in the case of Dua Zehra, who went missing on April 16 last month from the Golden Town area of Al-Falah.

The marriage certificate presented by Zehra's alleged husband Zaheer and his family in the Lahore court turned out to be fake. In this regard, a video has surfaced on social media regarding Inspector Saeed, the investigating officer of the Zehra case in Lahore, in which it is being told that the nikahnama of Zehra and Zaheer, presented in the court, was verified and it turned out to be fake.

Meanwhile, the IO of the case has arrested the marriage witness Qari Asghar after a fierce struggle. After fulfilling legal requirements, Asghar was shifted to Karachi for further investigation. Efforts are also being made for Zhera's recovery. Under section 164 of the criminal procedure code, Zehra's statement was also recorded after submitting a fake marriage certificate in court.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2022.