Magistrate allows Sindh Police to move Dua Zehra to Karachi

A judicial magistrate of Lahore on Saturday allowed Sindh Police to move Dua Zehra, the teenager who married on her free will, to Karachi in order to produce her in the city's trial court.

"Police Inspector Muhammad Ali along-with Aziza Sultana LHC are allowed to take the custody of Dua Zehra from shelter home, Lahore to produce her before learned trial court for direction to be passed for her lodgment in shelter home, Karachi or any appropriate order as the case may be," read the order released by Magistrate Rizwan Ahmad of Lahore's district court.

The court noted that the Karachi inspector had earlier submitted an application to give him the girl's custody in pursuance of the direction passed by judicial magistrate, Karachi East in this regard.

It also noted that the divisional bench of Sindh High Court had earlier passed a verdict about the teenager's shifting from Darul Aman, Lahore to Darul Aman, Karachi.

Also read: Shift Dua to shelter home in Karachi: SHC

The judicial magistrate maintained that the officers were responsible for the safe custody of the teenager and to take all relevant precautionary measures.

The court also barred any meetings with Dua from either side until she was produced before the Karachi magistrate.

A day earlier, the Sindh High Court gave permission to the investigating officer to move the teenager to the shelter home in Karachi. The court observed that Dua was unhappy with her husband and did not want to live with him. She was also afraid of her parents, so it was appropriate for her to stay in a shelter home.

Earlier this month, a special medical board determined that the girl was aged between 15 to16 years, but nearer to 15 years, giving support to the contention of her father that she was underage and that was lured into marriage.