SC wraps up Dua Zehra case after father withdraws plea

Islamabad: Supreme Court's Karachi registry on Thursday wrapped up the Dua Zehra Case after her father withdrew his plea challenging Sindh High Court's verdict in the case pertaining to the teenager's recovery.

A three-member bench of the apex, comprising Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, announced the reserved verdict on a plea of Dua Zehra’s father. The apex court heard the case in the Supreme Court Karachi Registry.

The top court in its verdict has asked Mehdi Kazmi to approach the relevant forum for the formation of the medical board in Dua Zehra case.

“The case did not fall within the ambit of SC,” the top court ruled.

Dua Zehra’s father Syed Mehdi Ali Kazmi had filed an appeal in the Supreme Court against the Sindh High Court's June 8 decision that ruled out the abduction of his daughter.

The father claimed that the Sindh High Court allowed Dua to exercise her free will based on her statement and medical test that puts her age between 16 to 17 years. The Court ignored her educational certificates and National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) record that states her age as 14 years, the petition said.

On April 16, Dua Zehra went missing from near her house in Alfalah Town Karachi and an abduction report was registered. Later, the girl was found in Lahore and married Zaheer Ahmed. 

The girl in a video message alleged that she left her parents willingly and claimed that her age is 17 years. However, the parents from the outset have been claiming that the girl is nearly 14 and she has been giving statements under pressure.