Verdict reserved on plea to change IO in Dua Zehra case

A sessions court reserved on Friday its verdict on an application moved by Dua Zehra’s father seeking removal of the investigating officer in a case pertaining to her alleged abduction and underage marriage.

Zehra had gone missing from her Karachi residence in April and was later found to have married a man in Lahore. Her father Mehdi Ali Kazmi, who is the complainant in the case, moved the application under Section 22-A and B of the Criminal Procedure Code, seeking a direction for the additional inspector general of police of Karachi and the SSP of District East to change the IO, DSP Shaukat Shahni.

Additional District and Sessions Judge (East) Muhammad Mehboob Awan reserved the verdict after both the applicant’s lawyer and the state prosecutor concluded their arguments. He will likely pronounce the judgement today.

Lawyer and civil rights activist Jibran Nasir, who represented the applicant, argued that the incumbent IO was incompetent and appeared to be biased. He said that the complainant’s family had no faith in the officer.

The officer filed the final challan insisting that no case of abduction was made out and sought cancellation of the FIR based on the girl’s statement despite knowing that her age was yet to be determined, he pointed out. If she was below 16 years of age, her statement or consent would be immaterial, the counsel said, questioning how anyone could expect a fair investigation from such an officer. He pleaded with the court to order the authorities concerned to replace him with a competent officer to carry out the investigation.