Court declares Dua Zahra's 2022 marriage valid

(Web Desk): The civil judge has declared the marriage of Dua Zahra, which took place in Punjab in 2022, as valid. The court ruled that the girl has the freedom to approach the relevant court to annul the marriage.

In 2023, Dua Zahra filed a family lawsuit against her alleged husband, Zaheer, a resident of Lahore, demanding that the marriage contract be annulled due to fear, pressure, and coercion. The petition claimed that the marriage certificate was fake and created without her consent, as she was a minor at the time of the marriage.

During the pending case, she also requested a restraining order to prevent the defendant from making false claims about having legally married her and entering into a valid marital contract with her.

Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate (East) Muhammad Nauman Jatoi, after reviewing the records and hearing the parties, dismissed the case related to the marriage. The court ruled that the marriage contract between the parties is valid, while the restraining order request was rejected. However, the plaintiff is free to approach the relevant court regarding the annulment of the marriage.

Dua Zahra's parents fought a legal battle after their daughter went missing in April 2022 from Karachi. Following severe criticism on social media and strict orders from the Sindh High Court, the police faced failure in recovering the girl, leading to the dismissal of the acting Inspector General of Police. Subsequently, on the court's orders, she was transferred to the city's shelter home.

In January 2023, the Sindh High Court handed over the girl to her parents, and later the family court permanently awarded custody to them, stating that the welfare of the minor girl would be looked after by her parents until she reaches adulthood.

It is noteworthy that Zaheer Ahmed, who married Dua Zahra, is facing a case in the Sessions Court under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act 2013, along with his relatives and others.