Daily Times

KARACHI: On Thursday, the Supreme Court (SC) deferred its decision on a petition challenging the SHC’s decision in the Dua Zehra case, which allowed a teenage girl in Karachi to choose her own fate.

In the Supreme Court Karachi Registry, a three-member supreme panel heard Dua Zehra’s father’s petition.

According to Mehdi Kazmi’s appeal, on June 8, the Sindh High Court allowed the girl to make the decision based on her statement and medical examination,’ which revealed she was 17 years old.

According to Nadra’s documents and educational credentials, Dua Zahra is 14 years old, according to the petitioner.

At the start of the hearing, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah read the SHC verdict and stated that there was no evidence that the girl had been abducted.

“Dua Zehra refuted in her statement before the court that she was abducted by her spouse Zaheer Ahmed,” the Judge noted, adding that the petitioner could not impose charges of forced marriage.

During the hearing, Justice Muneeb Akhtar stated that no one, not even a father, can oppose marriage in court. “Only a girl has the right to contest her marriage status,” he observed.

“You can go sessions court as a guardian against the SHC judgment,” he stated, ruling out any role in the instance of abduction or harassment.

“What do you want from us?” Justice Sajjad Ali Shah questioned Dua Zehra’s father.

“I request that the court reject the SHC ruling and enable our daughter to remain with her parents,” Mehdi Kazmi responded.

The Supreme Court has reserved its ruling and indicated that it will issue its decision today.

Dua Zehra’s father appealed the Sindh High Court’s decision in the case to the Supreme Court last week.

According to the petition, the high court order on June 8 permitted the Karachi young girl to choose whether she wanted to live with her parents or go with her husband.

The verdict

In its written ruling, the SHC stated that there was no evidence that the girl had been taken and barred the authorities involved from filing abduction prosecutions.

The SHC also dismissed the parents’ claim about the alleged kidnapping of the adolescent girl.