KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday reserved verdict on a plea challenging SHC’s verdict in Dua Zehra case which had allowed Karachi teenage girl to decide her own fate.

A three-member bench of the apex court heard the plea of Dua Zehra’s father in the Supreme Court Karachi Registry.

The petition filed by Mehdi Kazmi stated that on June 8, the Sindh High Court had allowed the girl to make the decision based on her statement and “medical test”, which found her to be 17-year-old.

The petitioner maintained that according to Nadra record and educational credentials, Dua Zahra is 14-year-old.

At the outset of the hearing, Justice Sajjad Ali Shah read out SHC verdict and observed that no evidence was found that the girl had been abducted.

“Dua Zehra in her statement before the court had denied that she was abducted by her husband Zaheer Ahmed”, the judge observed and added that the petitioner could not impose allegations of forced marriage.

During the hearing, Justice Muneeb Akhtar said that even a father cannot challenge marriage in any court.

“Only girl has right to challenge marriage status”, he observed.

“You can approach Sessions court as a guardian against the SHC verdict”, he said and ruled out the involvement of abduction or harassment in the case.

“What do you want from us”? Justice Sajjad Ali Shah asked Dua Zehra’s father.

“I want court to overturn SHC decision and allow our daughter to live with her parents”, Mehdi Kazmi replied.

To which the SC has reserved verdict and announced that the top court will issue its decision soon.

Last week, Dua Zehra’s father challenged the Sindh High Court’s verdict in the case in the Supreme Court.

The high court on June 08 decision allowed the Karachi teenage girl to decide whether she wanted to live with her parents or go with her husband, according to the petition.

The SHC, in its written verdict, observed that no evidence was found that the girl had been abducted and restrained authorities concerned from registering abduction cases.

The SHC had also disposed of the petition filed by parents into the alleged abduction of the teenage girl.

Dua Zehra’s family had approached police, hours after she went missing from near her house in Alfalah Town Karachi on April 16, and had appealed through a number of channels for help in finding their daughter.