KARACHI: Dua Zehra was presented before a 6-member medical board on Saturday for age assessment.
The medical board was formed by the Sindh Health Department after a Karachi court order for Dua age test afresh.
The board headed by the Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) Principal Saba Sohail along with Dr. Sikandar Rafique, Dr. Rani, and Professor Nazli Hossain performed the forensic tests on the teenager.
They took X-ray images and blood samples of Dua to ascertain the correct age which is being contested in the petition filed in the court by Dua’s father.
Dua was also taken to Dow Dental Hospital for forensic odontology tests after she was examined by gynecologists at Services Hospital.
The results of the tests are expected to be presented before the court in three to four days.
Earlier, a sessions court in Karachi rejected Saturday the plea of Dua Zehra’s father to change the investigation officer (IO) of the case.
The Additional Session Judge Karachi East dismissed Mehdi Ali Kazmi’s plea to change the IO citing that the C class report of the IO is pending approval.
The court said that Dua Zehra is yet to be presented to the medical board and it would not be possible to change the IO at such a crucial stage.
Dua Zahra’s father had expressed distrust in the investigating officer of the case in a petition submitted before the court.
He had alleged that the investigating officer was working ‘under the influence of someone.
It should be noted that the Lady MLO in the Civil Hospital had sent a report to the Health Department regarding the age of Dua earlier, upon which her father approached the court. After that, the court directed the department secretary to form a special medical board to determine the age of the teenager again.