KARACHI: The father of Dua Zehra on Tuesday moved a district and sessions court seeking replacement of the investigating officer of the case.

Syed Mehdi Ali Kazmi, through his lawyer, filed an application expressing reservations over the present IO and argued that apparently he was investigating the matter in an alleged biased manner.

The counsel argued that the applicant and his family members had no faith in the IO and pleaded to remove him from the investigation and appoint an honest and competent IO.

Meanwhile, a 10-member special medical board headed by principal of Dow Medical College Prof Dr Saba Sohail to ascertain the age of Dua Zehra has been notified.

The board is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Wednesday (today).

Another case referred to trial court

The Sindh High Court has referred a matter about an alleged free-will marriage of a couple to the trial court after the father of the girl submitted that she was underage girl.

Ume-e-Hani along with her husband filed a petition in SHC stating that she was a resident of Hyderabad and contracted free-will marriage with Aftab Ali, but her parents had lodged a case against her husband.

However, her father submitted that she was underage and hence her marriage was not permissible under the Sindh Child Marriages Restrain Act 2013.

The IO had recorded the statement in which the girl denied of being kidnapped.

While disposing of the petition, the court directed the IO to file his investigation report before the trial court which must pass an appropriate order in accordance with law.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2022