Dua Zahra recovered from Bahawalnagar

LAHORE: In a major development, the Punjab Police have finally recovered Dua Zahra, the 14-year-old girl who had mysteriously gone missing from Karachi in April but later declared that she had run away from her home to marry 21-year-old Zaheer Ahmed from the Chishtian area of Bahawalnagar.

 Later, Karachi South SSP Zubair Nazeer Shaikh confirmed that both including Dua had been taken into protective custody. He said the couple frequently changed their locations and never used mobile phones, which created difficulties for the police in tracing them. "They changed two houses in Lahore, moved to Mansehra and changed homes there too," Shaikh said, confirming that they were finally recovered in Punjab's Chishtian with the help of Lahore's Crime Investigation Agency (CIA).

"Both of them are being brought to Karachi now and will be presented before a court," the officer went on. He added that Dua's father wanted to meet her but was not granted permission as the matter was to be decided in court.

Karachi Police chief Javed Odho announced a cash reward and appreciation certificates for the CIA DIG and his team.

Seven police teams led by CIA DIG Karim Khan were on the hunt for the couple in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir for the past 15 days, the statement said. Karachi Police also expressed gratitude for their counterparts in Lahore. A statement issued by the CIA Karachi says that the police had conducted 45 raids and arrested 16 people during the investigation of the case.

Earlier, Lahore's Anti-Violent Crime Cell SSP Zubair Nazir Sheikh confirmed recovering Dua Zahra and her husband Zaheer Ahmed from Chistian in Bahwalnagar. A spokesperson for the Punjab Police said that Dua Zahra and her husband, Zaheer Ahmed, have been sent to Karachi to further the case’s legal process.

Dua Zahra’s mother-in-law appealed to the prime minister and Punjab chief minister to provide the couple justice. In a video statement, she said they were scared, hence, they took shelter here. She said the police took Zahra and Zaheer Ahmed into its custody. “Dua Zahra is my daughter. Nobody kidnapped her,” the woman said, adding that she came on her own. Dua’s mother-in-law said when they tried to send her back to her parents’ home, Dua refused. Therefore, they were compelled to get the couple married in the high court.