Dua Zehra probably underage: Doctors

Doctors in Karachi reported on Tuesday that Dua Zehra Kazmi, the girl who had disappeared from Karachi in April but later released a video statement in which she claimed to have eloped to marry 21-year-old Zaheer Ahmed, is probably between the ages of 16 and 17, she is a minor, but she is still too young to obtain a computerized national identity card.

An age certificate, issued by the police surgeon’s office in Karachi on Tuesday showed that Dua Zehra had gone through tests to determine her age.

The tests were carried out as directed by the Sindh High Court (SHC) to determine the age of the youth since she declared that she was of legal age to marry willingly.

However, her parents claimed that the girl was 14 years old, too young to enter into an open marriage without their consent, in accordance with the law.

Dua Zehra’s ossification test was carried out at the Karachi Civil Hospital by the Medico-Legal Officer (WMLO) Dr. Laraib Gul on Monday.

The test included radiographs performed by the hospital radiology unit.

The certificate indicated that Dr. Saba Jameel, a radiologist, was of the opinion that Dua Zehra’s bone density was not that of a 14-year-old child.

“Bone ages range from 16 to 17,” read the certificate.

The radiologist added that the girl was more than 17 years old.

The SHC ordered that Dua Zehra be medically examined within two days and presented to the court on 8 June.

The court maintained that it wished to medically determine Dua Zehra’s age before making a final decision.

Dua had disappeared from the Golden Town area of the Shah Faisal Town in April of that year.

Her disappearance came into the news after her father, Syed Mehdi Ali Kazmi, posted a video on social media, urging people to search for her daughter and affirming that she had been kidnapped.