KARACHI: A judicial magistrate on Monday ordered police to recover an alleged victim of child marriage, who was kidnapped from Karachi and shifted to Qambar-Shahdadkot.

Judicial Magistrate (Central) Sajad Ahmed also directed the investigating officer, Inspector Sadia Ayaz, and the supervisory investigation officer (SIO) of Khawaja Ajmer Nagri police station to recover the 13-year-old girl and produce her in court within 15 days.

Safdar Hussain had moved an application under Rules 9, 10 and 19 of the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Rules.

His counsel Luke Victor sought directives for the IO and SIO to find and recover his client’s daughter from the alleged custody of Nazeer Ali, who illegally solemnised underage marriage with the girl.

The counsel said the girl used to sell socks at Ajmer Chowk from where the suspect kidnapped her on Jan 9 this year and took her to Qambar-Shahdadkot district.

He pleaded the court to entrust custody of the minor girl to the applicant being her lawful guardian/real father.

The magistrate recalled that previously a report about the case had been called from the IO and SIO, who appeared before the court and submitted that they had visited Qambar-Shahdadkot district in an effort to recover the alleged abductee, but could not succeed.

He observed that as per birth registration certificate, the alleged abductee was about 13 years old and accused Nazeer Ali had also contracted child marriage with her as per nikahnama.

The magistrate allowed the application and directed the IO and SIO to search and recover Muqaddas and produce her in court within 15 days. He also ordered the police officials to arrest the suspect ‘without fail’.

Published in Dawn, June 20th, 2023