Parents of Dua Zehra, joined by other citizens, held a protest demonstration outside Karachi Press Club, lamenting that the police had shifted the child and her husband to Lahore on an early morning flight instead of letting them attend the trial court hearing.
Speaking outside the Karachi City Court office on Thursday, Dua Zehra’s father Mehdi Kazmi said that a trial was supposed to take place that day, however the police sent Dua and her now-husband Zaheer to Lahore on a 7 AM flight. The two were scheduled to appear in front of the Lahore High Court (LHC) today (Friday).
Mehdi Kazmi further said that he is yet to receive justice in this case, and urged everyone to show up outside the Karachi Press Club after the Maghreb prayers, to show support.
Subsequently, a large crowd of people showed up at the press club, holding placards with messages such as ‘Justice for Dua’ written on them.
#SaveDuaZahra Citizens of Khi from all walks of life extended solidarity with #DuaZehra's family in 2day's protest. Loud & clear demand; institutions shd not be held hostage by influential mafias. Minor of 14-yrs shd be handed back to parents/shelter, not to a gang. #DuaZehra pic.twitter.com/haaGcIRQpk
— صدف 🇵🇰 (@sdfshah786) June 10, 2022
People outside the karachi press club in support with #DuaZehra parents. #duazehracase will be proceed tomorrow in LHC. Hope for Juctice. RAISE your voice to #SaveDuaZahra pic.twitter.com/dhN1el5BsJ
— Jalal Haider Kulachi (@JalalKulachi) June 9, 2022
At the protest, Mehdi Kazmi said that Dua’s husband Zaheer was supposed to be put on trial on Thursday, however the police took Dua out from Dar-al-Aman at 5 AM and put her and her husband Zaheer on a 7 AM flight to Lahore.
Kazmi said he reached the city court for Zaheer’s trial at 8 AM, and around 10 AM he was informed that the couple was already in Lahore.
“I am demanding justice from the Chief Justice, who has not yet taken a suo motu notice for this case,” he said, lamenting that Justice Iqbal Kalhoro, who he said had been handling the case in a ‘great manner’, had gone for vacations and was no longer in charge.
He also expressed displeasure over the attitude of the police ever since Dua was recovered from Bahawalnagar.
Dua Zehra and Zaheer Ahmed were scheduled to appear before the LHC today (Friday). A petition on the case was heard today by the LHC, on behalf of Dua Zehra’s mother-in-law, Noor Munir, who had requested that police officials stop harassing her and her family.
The LHC disposed the petition and issued directives for police personnel to stop harassing Dua Zehra’s in-laws.
Meanwhile Mehdi Kazmi has organized another protest demonstration that started at 4 PM today, and took place at Fawara Chowk in Karachi.
