Dua Zehra case: Zaheer's presence in Karachi on incident date confirmed

KARACHI: Investigation Officer in Dua Zehra case, has said that presence of Zaheer Ahmed, the ‘husband’ of Dua Zehra, has been confirmed in Karachi on April 16, the day of the incident.

In a progress report submitted in the court today, the IO said that the CDR record has been attained. Accused Zaheer Ahmed was present in Karachi on April 16, the day of her alleged kidnapping.

“After the CDR we have substantial evidence against the accused. The case challan against the accused will be submitted in court,” the IO said in his progress report.

The police sought the court’s permission to keep clauses pertaining to underage marriage in the case.

“A permission being sought for recovery of Dua Zehra from Punjab from the Sindh government,” according to the report.

Another plea was filed with the session court on Thursday to change the investigation officer in the Dua Zehra case.

The plea stated that the case has been changed altogether after the medical report revealed that the girl is aged 15-year-old.

“The investigation officer is not probing the matter following medical report,” it said, adding that the applicant in the case and family no longer trust the IO.

On July 02, the Judicial Magistrate court Karachi east had rejected Dua Zehra’s father’s earlier plea to change the investigation officer of the case.

The court had dismissed Mehdi Ali Kazmi’s plea to change the investigation officer saying the C class report of the IO has not been accepted yet.

A report of a medical commission formed to assess the age of Dua Zehra, the teenage girl who went missing from Karachi and later claimed to have married Zaheer Ahmed, determined her age at 14 to 15 years keeping in view her physical appearance while the age determined through her teeth is between 13 to 15 years.

The bone ossification test has however revealed her age as between 16 to 17 years.

The report concluded that after consultation between medical experts on multiple factors determining her age, it has been agreed that the girl is aged between 15 to 16-year-old.

The report was signed by the chairman and other 10 members of the medical board.