Sindh High Court orders police to recover, shift Arzoo to a shelter home

The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered on Monday the immediate recovery of Arzoo Raja, a Christian girl who was allegedly forcefully converted and married off to a Muslim man.

Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari said that the SHC has ordered the relevant authorities to recover Arzo and shift her to a shelter home. The high court has also directed the authorities to produce her before the court on November 5.

"My lawyer has informed court that an intervener will be filed on my behalf," Mazari tweeted.

According to her parents,13-year-old Arzoo went missing on October 13. They alleged that Azhar Ali, 44, abducted, forcibly converted, and married their daughter. On Thursday, a sessions court granted post-arrest bail to three suspects, Azhar’s two brothers Syed Shariq Ali and Syed Mohsin Ali and his friend Danish, who are police officials.

Their defence counsel Hidayat Ali Leghari told the court that in her statement before the SHC, Arzoo stated that she had embraced Islam out of her free choice and had solemnised a free-will marriage with Azhar without any fear or pressure.

On Friday, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto had said that the provincial government will approach the courts to review Arzoo case and clear up any misunderstanding the 'honourable court may have'.