The Sindh High Court has announced its verdict in the Dua Zehra recovery case: it wants her to be brought to a shelter home in Karachi provided there is no legal obstacle.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro heard the petition and reserved the verdict, which was announced mid-afternoon Thursday, July 21. It said that the trial was proceeding in Karachi and that is why she should be here. Apparently she is unhappy with her husband, said the court.

The Sindh Police met Dua Zahra’s husband Zaheer Ahmed in court, where Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro inquired whether she was currently being kept in a Darul Aman shelter home. The petitioner’s lawyer replied that she was in a shelter home in Lahore.

Her father Mehdi Kazmi’s lawyer Jibran Nasir read out the petition given before the Lahore Magistrate in front of the court. Jibran Nasir read the police report presented in the Karachi trial court as well.

The petitioner’s lawyer said that the police had admitted that Zaheer had been in Karachi at the time of Dua Zehra’s abduction.

Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro said that they had to hear the investigating officer. DSP Shaukat Shahani told the judges that he was the former investigating officer.

Justice Kalhoro said that Dua Zehra should be brought to Karachi as the crime was committed in this city. There were shelter homes in Karachi too and she would not be in any danger.

The court asked Zaheer’s lawyer why he did not want Dua Zehra to be transferred to Karachi? The lawyer replied that she cannot be transferred to Karachi if she does not want to meet anyone.

To this, the court said that Dua Zehra has been proven to be underage which put her statements in another light. The court is not ordering for her to be returned to her parents, but simply saying that she should be in Karachi while the case is pending.

Zaheer’s lawyer said that his bank accounts and identity card have been blocked. Four of Zaheer’s bank accounts and his brothers have been frozen and should be reopened, said his lawyer. The court directed Zaheer’s lawyer to file a separate application.

During the hearing, the government lawyer said that the case was being heard in Karachi and that is why she should be transferred here in the custody of the state.