The Family Court East in Karachi on Saturday granted permanent custody of Dua Zehra, a minor girl who was allegedly kidnapped and married off, to her parents.
This decision ensures that Dua Zehra will remain with her parents until she reaches adulthood, with her welfare and well-being being the court’s primary concern.
In its ruling, the court emphasized the necessity of providing for the girl’s needs, including her education and food. The court also required her parents to submit a surety bond of Rs 200,000 to ensure compliance with its directives. During the hearing, Dua expressed her willingness to live with her parents, and the alleged husband, Zaheer Ahmed, failed to provide any evidence of mistreatment by the parents.
The case began on April 16, 2022, when Dua’s parents filed a first information report alleging that their daughter had been kidnapped while she was disposing of trash. Nearly 10 days later, on April 26, Dua was recovered from Okara. In a video statement, Dua claimed she had not been kidnapped and had married Zaheer of her own free will, also asserting that she was 16 years old and that her parents were lying about her age.
Contrarily, her parents insisted that their daughter had been kidnapped and forced to make the statement. On July 4, a medical board concluded that Dua was between 15 to 16 years of age. Following this, police informed a sessions court in Karachi on July 16 that 24 individuals, including Zaheer, were involved in abducting her from Karachi and shifting her to Punjab, where they solemnized the illegal child marriage.
Dua subsequently approached a Lahore court on July 19, requesting to be sent to Darul Aman, a shelter home, citing “constant threats” from her parents and stating that she was “not on good terms” with Zaheer. The court accepted her application, and she was shifted to the shelter home.
Later, on January 6, 2023, the Sindh High Court temporarily handed over Dua to her parents in Karachi after she expressed her desire to live with her family. This temporary arrangement has now been made permanent by the Family Court East, concluding a complex and contentious case that has drawn significant public and media attention.
