Dua Zehra's father approaches SC to help get her custody.

KARACHI -- The father of Dua Zehra on Saturday approached the Supreme Court against an order of the Sindh High Court for setting the teenager at liberty to decide whom she intended to reside and go along with.

Syed Mehdi Ali Kazmi contended that the SHC in the impugned order, passed on June 8, had placed reliance upon a statement of the girl on oath and report of an ossification test, which showed her age between 16 to 17 years, contrary to credible Nadra and educational documents verifying her age to be about 14.

He further asserted that the SHC in its order has erred by setting the girl at liberty to decide her fate and settling a factual controversy regarding her age.

The petitioner also questioned whether the impAugned order has infringed upon the exclusive jurisdiction of the family court to decide the question of age, final custody and guardianship of the girl.

Claims SHC order 'erred' in setting his daughter at liberty

He argued that on June 14, the investigating officer of the case in his report submitted before the trial court had clearly been influenced by the impugned order and sought cancellation of the FIR.

The petitioner submitted that his daughter went missing from their house in Malir on April 16 and a case about her abduction was lodged at the Al-Falah police station.

He further maintained that they came to know through social media that Dua had allegedly contracted marriage with Zaheer Ahmed, a resident of Lahore.

The petitioner pleaded that leave to appeal against the impugned SHC order be granted.

Besides setting the girl at liberty to decide her fate, the SHC in its June 8 order had also observed that it cannot determine factual dispute about age as it may affect and prejudice the interest of any of the parties, but said the aggrieved parties may approach the trial court to contest and agitate the same.

While impleading the province of Sindh through home secretary, provincial police officer, senior superintendent of police (East), Al-Falah SHO and IO of the case as respondents in the civil...