Dua Zehra wants to go home, claims mother

KARACHI The parents of Dua Zehra, the girl who went missing in Karachi but had later claimed to have married, have finally met their daughter.

Police allowed her parents to meet their daughter in the judge’s chamber. The parents were inconsolable as they met her. When Dua was brought to court for the hearing, her mother fainted after seeing her.

Police allowed them to meet briefly. As soon as the mother tried to hug her, Dua pushed her away and refused to meet her. The police personnel deputed on court duty separated them and took Dua away.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered a medical procedure to verify Dua Zehra’s age. The test found the girl’s age to be between 16 and 17 years. The age verification report was presented in court and an order is expected to be issued today.

Advocate General Sindh presented Dua’s medical report. The report said that the girl is probably between 16 and 17 years of age, a minor, and not old enough to acquire a computerized national identity card of her own.

Dua’s father has rejected the medical report terming it fake and demanding fresh medical tests. His lawyer Altaf Khoso challenged the report claiming the bone density test is not a fool proof way to determine age.

During the hearing, the counsel representing the father of the girl said that they wanted to present some documents to prove her age at 14. The judge rejected the plea and said that the case pertains to recovery and the matter should be raised with the trial court.

Multiple medical tests to verify the age of the allegedly 14-year-old girl were conducted at the Civil Hospital, Karachi. The report was issued by a female medico-legal officer Dr Laraib Gul of the hospital.

Dua’s mother said they met their daughter in the chamber and she wanted to go with us. He asked the judge to take another statement from her but he refused.

Her father also appeared before the judge and asked him to review his decision.The court rejected the plea and said that the girl has stated on oath that she did not want to go with her parents.