Dua Zehra case: SC disposes of petition after father withdraws plea.

The Supreme Court's Karachi registry (SC) on Thursday disposed of a petition filed by the father of Dua Zehra - the teenage girl who went missing from Karachi in April and was recovered from Punjab earlier this month - challenging the Sindh High Court's (SHC) order after he withdrew his plea.

On June 8, the high court had ruled that Dua, who claims she had contracted marriage of her own free will, was free to decide her fate. Subsequently, her father had submitted a petition challenging the SHC verdict.

The case was taken up by a three-member SC bench, comprising Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, Justice Munib Akhtar and Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar.

"The case does not fall within our jurisdiction," the court said, adding that the father, Mehdi Kazmi, should approach the relevant forums for the formation of a medical board to determine her age.

The petition argued that the SHC had erred in law by setting Dua, a minor, at liberty instead of committing her to the lawful custody of a guardian. It said that the court can only set a person of age at liberty while minors were supposed to be committed to a guardian's lawful custody.

At the outset of today's hearing, the court asked Dua's parents if they had met the teenager to which Kazmi replied that he was allowed to meet his daughter in the SHC chamber for 15 to 20 minutes in the presence of a police officer.

Justice Shah also asked whether a medical examination of Dua had been conducted in accordance with the orders of the high court. The petitioner's counsel, Jibran Nasir, replied in the affirmative.

At one point, Justice Mazhar asked the petitioner if they had challenged Dua's medical report. "We have written a letter to the health secretary in this regard," Nasir replied, urging the court to recover the teenager.

The court also noted that the SHC had instructed the investigating officer to submit the challan in a trial court.

During the hearing, Justice Akhtar asked where a marriage could be challenged to which Justice Mazhar said: "In a family court."

The court also inquired about the number of people arrested in the case so far. "The nikkah khuwan and a witness have been arrested," Kazmi's lawyer said.

Justice Akhtar also remarked that the petitioner should have approached a civil court for relief.

Addressing the petitioner, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah said: "We understand how you feel [but] the girl has married of her own free will, she also has rights."

Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar told Kazmi that he...

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