We are facing threat from Sindh, Punjab police: Dua Zahra
Dua Zehra—the fourteen-year-old girl who mysteriously disappeared from Karachi in April but later declared that she eloped with 21-year-old Zaheer Ahmed and got married to him — has recently claimed that their lives were in danger.
In a video message, Dua said that she ran away with her husband and went to Lahore, where she married him of her own free will.
“Whereas this country’s Constitution and law allow me to marry anyone. I want and can live anywhere I want according to the law, my life is in danger,” she said.
Dua said she had recorded a statement in court in her husband’s favor but despite that, the Sindh and Punjab police “harassed her and her husband” and carried out an “unlawful search.”
“The Sindh police are trying to kidnap me and my husband, so if something happens to us, the Sindh police, the Punjab police, and my parents will be responsible for that”.
Dua added that she is “happily married and lives peacefully in Lahore”, adding that her in-laws treated her very well.
“People who use social media refer to my in-laws as gang members, but that is a groundless allegation. They are respected people and they are even better than my parents,” she said.
The teenage girl also said she left a letter at her parents’ house before running away in which she “clearly explained the reasons for leaving her home.”
She said that not paying attention to the letter, her parents went ahead and registered a missing person case to get it back.
I don’t want to go to Karachi, as I am very happy here in Lahore with my husband. I called on the police not to harass us so that we can live in peace,” she said.
The father of Dua Zahra has approached the Sindh High Court for the recovery of his daughter as he claims she was underage. Under the law in Sindh, marriage before the age of 18 is unlawful, while the age limit in Punjab is 16.
The Sindh High Court issued notices to all parties involved, including the girl’s husband, on Dua Zahra’s father’s request for her recovery.