KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Friday directed the authorities to unblock the computerised national identity cards (CNICs) and unfreeze bank accounts of the family members of Zaheer Ahmed, the purported husband of Dua Zehra Zaheer.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Mohammad Iqbal Kalhoro also disposed of another petition filed by Zaheer seeking protection, as police said that he would not be harassed, but dealt as per law.

Zaheer’s brother Shabbir Ahmed also filed a petition in the SHC against freezing of bank accounts and blocking of CNICs and SIM cards of the petitioner and other family members.

The bench in its order said that on the request of the lawyer for Dua’s father Mahdi Kazmi, the SHC had ordered blocking and freezing of the CNICs and bank accounts of Zaheer’s family members on June 3 till the recovery of Dua.

It further noted that since the girl had been recovered, there was no reason to decline the petitioner’s plea and recalled its June 3 order directing the authorities concerned to unblock and unfreeze the CNICs and bank accounts, respectively.

SHC issues notices on Zaheer’s plea for quashment of FIR

About the petition of Zaheer for protection, the bench noted that the petitioner had already been granted bail by the trial court, while police officials and state’s lawyer said that he would be treated in accordance with law with no element of harassment.Meanwhile, the same bench on Friday issued notices to the provincial home secretary, police, complainant and other respondents on a petition of Zaheer seeking quashment of the case pertaining to alleged abduction of Dua Zehra.

The bench also put the prosecutor general on notice and directed the respondents to file comments till Aug 18.

Read: Dua Zehra timeline — a complex case of alleged kidnapping vs legal marriage

Lawyer for complainant, on behalf of his client, submitted certain documents which were taken on record, and a copy was provided to the counsel for petitioner.

Contempt plea referred to CJ

Dua’s father filed an application in the SHC on Friday seeking contempt proceedings against some persons for reportedly passing contemptuous remarks against a judge of the SHC in a talk show at a YouTube channel.

The bench in its order stated that since remarks were against one of the members of this bench, it was not appropriate for it to hear this application or pass any order thereon.

“In the circumstances, let this matter may be placed before the Honourable Chief Justice for either referring this application to some other bench or passing any appropriate order as his lordship may be pleased to,” it added.

Order reserved for today

Judicial Magistrate (East) Aftab Ahmed Bughio reserved his order till Saturday (today) on an application filed by the investigating officer seeking permission for a medical examination of Dua.

IO Saeed Rind stated in the application that the minor was required to be medically examined to determine whether or not she had been subjected to any sexual act during the period she spent with her purported husband after her alleged child marriage.

He said since the incumbent court had sent minor/victim to the Shelter Home for Destitute and Orphan Social Welfare, therefore, permission was required to move her custody to the hospital for the purpose of her medical examination.

Therefore, the IO requested the magistrate to allow him shifting the girl from the shelter home to a medical facility for a medical examination.

The state prosecutor, as well as the counsel representing the parents of girl and her purported husband, also supported such request.

After hearing arguments from parties, the magistrate fixed the matter on July 30 (today) for announcement of order on the application.

Progress report filed

In the meanwhile, IO Rind filed a progress report incorporating Sections 363 (kidnapping), 368 (wrongfully concealing or keeping in confinement, kidnapped or abducted person) and 375(v) (rape with or without her consent when she is under sixteen years of age) of the Pakistan Penal Code in the case lodged against Zaheer and 23 others.

In the report, the IO stated that detained suspect Shabbir Ahmed had during interrogation disclosed that he was present along with his brother Zaheer Ahmed in Karachi on April 16 when they had allegedly kidnapped Dua and took her to Punjab.

He added that Zaheer was using a SIM card, which was registered in the name of his mother, which showed his presence in the city on the day of the incident, adding that the suspect had switched off his phone in the area of Nooriabad.

The case was already fixed for Aug 1.

Published in Dawn, July 30th, 2022