Board finds Dua aged between 15 and 16 years

A special medical board has determined that Dua Zehra, who married on her own will, is aged between 15 and 16 years, but nearer to 15 years, giving support to the contention of her father that she was underage and that she was lured into marriage.

The special 10-member medical board, headed by Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) Principal Prof Saba Sohail, met on Saturday at the Sindh Government Services Hospital and presented its report to the judicial magistrate of East District of Karachi on Monday.

Three physical medical examinations were performed to determine the age of Dua – dental, gynaecological and orthopaedic. The report stated that on the basis of physical examination, her age is between 14-15 years, while the dental age is between 13-15 years.

However, the medical report said that on the basis of epiphyseal closure assessed on radiological examination, her age is between 16-17 years. “This is an unusual discrepancy,” the report stated.

“The consensus opinion regarding the overall age of Ms Dua Zehra D/O Syed Mehdi Kazmi is between 15-16 years, nearer to 15 years based on physical examination and dentition. The legal age for marriage in Sindh is 18 and in Punjab it is 16 years,” the report added.

Read Dua Zehra was not kidnapped, says SHC

The final report is signed by all the 10 members including Prof Saba Sohail. Other signatories include Lyari General Hospital Radiology Department Head, Services Hospital Consultant Radiologist, Dr Ruth KM Pfau Civil Hospital Professor of Gynecology, Associate Professor for Forensic Medicine at Dow International Medical College, OMFS Chairperson at Dow Dental College, the head of Dental Department at Services Hospital, the Police Surgeon, Medical Superintendent of the Services Hospital Specialist Doctors.

The confirmation of her age gives strength to the case filed by her father Mehdi Ali Kazmi that her daughter was underage and luring her into marriage was tantamount to kidnapping, as per the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

Following submission of the medical report, the magistrate said that the case regarding her alleged kidnapping would be heard on Tuesday (today). Kazmi’s lawyer Jibran Nasir told the media that the board had confirmed that Dua Zehra’s age was less than 16 years.

In Sindh as well as in Punjab, he said, the law did not allow marriage under the age of 16. “I ask the investigating officer and Sindh police to arrest the accused Zaheer, the alleged husband of Dua Zehra, and produce him in court,” Nasir said.

On Saturday, the additional district and sessions judge rejected the request of Kazmi to change the investigating officer in the case.