Dua Zehra’s real age: Medical board verifies the truth

KARACHI: The largest 10-member medical board has verified the truth regarding Dua Zehra’s age and confirmed that she was nearest to 15 years of age.

Jibran Nasir said in a media statement today that abduction and sexual harassment cases will be filed against Zaheer Ahmed and his facilitators.

Nasir tweeted today, saying, “The medical board has verified the truth which Parents have been telling since 2.5 months. As per Board #DuaZehra is nearest to 15 yrs of age negating previous medical report which placed Dua at 17. Thus proven that NADRA documents are accurate & Dua in reality is a 14yr child.”

“Offences of Kidnapping, Child Marriages & Rape/Sexual Offences all are attracted to a case where girl child is under 16. IGP Sindh should take immediate action to remove current I.O. of case who has been telling media no case of Kidnapping is made & must immediate recover Dua.”

“AG Sindh told High Court that no case of Kidnapping is made out, Police relied on statement of girl to claim no case of Kidnapping is made out, girl repeatedly told Honorable Courts that she is 18 years of age, today it is proven that all statements were result of inducement.”

Nasir said, “We need better procedures and training in place both in Police & Judiciary to save our children. For 2.5 months parents suffered moving pillar to post to recover their child while Dua unaware herself was under unimaginable danger while content creators cashed in on this tragedy.”

The Medical Board has verified the truth which Parents have been telling since 2.5 months. As per Board #DuaZehra is nearest to 15 yrs of age negating previous medical report which placed Dua at 17. Thus proven that NADRA documents are accurate & Dua in reality is a 14yr child.

— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) July 4, 2022

Medical examination

The authorities have been witnessed treating Zaheer Ahmed, the husband of Dua Zehra, like a state guest instead of an accused in the high-profile case registered under sections of child marriage restraint act and abduction.

Dua Zehra was presented before a medical board yesterday which was constituted to determine her age. Zehra’s ossification test report will be presented before the court on Monday (today).

Her father, Mehdi Ali Kazmi’s lawyer Jibran Nasir wrote on Twitter, “Dua Zahra has been produced before the Medical Board today for proper medical age assessment. Previously the medical report was prepared by one medical doctor which was in violation of standard practices and procedure. Please note all offences in this case are age specific.”

He added, “As per law during trial when considering evidence a medical report cannot override documentary proof such as NADRA certificates which have been issued prior to the date of crime. However since a flawed medical report was produced in this case it was imperative to challenge it.”

#DuaZahra has been produced before the Medical Board today for proper medical age assessment. Previously the medical report was prepared by one medical doctor which was in violation of standard practices and procedure. Please note all offences in this case are age specific.

— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) July 2, 2022

Sources told News360 that Dua Zehra and Zaheer Ahmed have been taken to Karachi amid tight security measures by Karachi police. For the movement of the couple, Karachi police gave VIP protocol to them and took them to an apartment located in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Phase VIII in a police van.

When Dua Zehra appeared before the medical board for her examination, Zaheer Ahmed stayed inside an air-conditioned room of the investigation officer (IO) Shaukat Shahani. After she underwent medical examination, police shifted the couple amid tight security measures to the DHA Phase VIII apartment again.

Sources said that the couple was served meals from a renowned restaurant located at Sea View beach, whereas, Dua and Zaheer later went to nearby departmental store for shopping.

The treatment of police officers with Zaheer Ahmed was quite surprising as he was being treated as a state guest instead of an accused.

Case takes another turn

The Dua Zehra case has taken another turn a few days ago as the lawyer secured bail from a local court in Mansehra that had helped the girl and her husband, Zaheer Ahmed, to flee and vanish from the public appearance.

The lawyer, who had assisted Dua Zehra and Zaheer Ahmed to vanish from the public appearance and their secret marriage, secured bail in the high-profile case. The lawyer had been arrested from Haripur Hazara by the police.

In another development, the largest-ever medical board comprising 10 experts was constituted by the Sindh Health Department on Tuesday to determine the age of Dua Zehra. The board also includes experts in radiology, gynaecology, dentistry and forensics.

Professor Saba Sohail, Principal of Dow Medical College, will head the 10-member medical board and its meeting was convened on June 29 at Services Hospital Karachi.

Earlier, a judicial magistrate in Karachi ordered the Sindh health secretary to form a medical board of doctors to determine the age of Dua Zehra.

SC verdict

A week ago, the Supreme Court (SC) Karachi Registry dismissed the petition of Dua Zehra’s father Mehdi Kazmi after he sought withdrawal of his plea challenging the verdict of the Sindh High Court (SHC).

Dua Zehra’s father Mehdi Kazmi sought withdrawal of his plea challenging the SHC verdict in Dua Zehra recovery case. The three-member bench of the SC comprising Justice Munib Akhtar, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar heard Kazmi’s petition.