KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) today (Monday) has ordered the concerned authorities to recover purportedly converted Christian girl Arzoo and send her to a shelter home from the custody of her Muslim husband.
The development was confirmed by Federal Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari and Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab. “On the Arzoo case, today judge has ordered the girl be recovered by police and relevant agencies and be shifted to a shelter home,” Mazari wrote.
She further said, “Next hearing fixed for Thursday morning. My lawyer has informed court that an intervener will be filed on my behalf.”
On the Arzoo case, today judge has ordered the girl be recovered by police & relevant agencies & be shifted to a shelter home. next hearing fixed for Thursday morning. My lawyer has informed court that an intervener will be filed on my behalf.
— Shireen Mazari (@ShireenMazari1) November 2, 2020
The incident of the alleged abduction of Arzoo has sparked protests from human rights groups against her alleged forced conversion and underage marriage with a Muslim man.
Earlier on Saturday, a local court dismissed a plea seeking the issuance of orders to send Christian girl Arzoo to a shelter home. The father of Arzoo Masih, had moved the application pleading the court to send her to a shelter home instead of sending her with her alleged husband.
His lawyer, Jibran Nasir, pointed out that Arzoo was only 13 years old and the provisions of the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013, had been incorporated by the police.
Jibran Nasir maintained that further stay of the victim with suspect Azhar would amount to an office punishable under Section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code read with Section 375(v) (rape: when she is under sixteen years of age).
