A court in Karachi has turned down a request to conduct a second medical examination of Karachi teen Dua Zahra - purportedly to confirm an earlier report of her being a minor. Judicial Magistrate (East) Aftab Ahmed Bughio rejected the request filed by the Investigating Officer DSP Saeed Rind.

Earlier, a court-ordered medical board has determined Dua Zahra to be between 15-16 years of age.

The IO sought time from the court to submit the challan. The judge adjourned the hearing till August 6, instructing the IO to submit the challan at the next hearing.

Background

Teenager Dua Zahra was reported missing from her home in Karachi in mid-April.

Later, Dua Zahra was traced to Bahawalnagar and the police learned that she was married to 21-year-old Zaheer Ahmed, who had met while playing the popular online game PUBG.

The couple was produced in the Sindh High Court, where the court ruled that Dua could stay with whichever of her parents or Zaheer she wanted, before sending her to a shelter home. After which the parents of Dua Zahra approached the Supreme Court and challenged the decision of the Sindh High Court.

The Supreme Court disposed of the case after withdrawing the petition challenging the decision of the Sindh High Court and in its decision and Dua Zahar’s father, Mehdi Kazmi was asked to approach the relevant forum.

You can read details of the developments in the case in our special report here.