Arzoo case: Karachi court orders 'husband' be prosecuted for child abuse, underage marriage

In brief

• Judicial magistrate's court accepts police challan
• Accused Azhar's brother, Mohsin Ali, to be tried for concealing evidence
  
• A case of child abuse may be taken up in sessions court
• Protests had erupted over the child's kidnapping, alleged forced conversion, and rape
  

KARACHI: A judicial magistrate's court on Wednesday ordered the 'husband' of a minor girl to be prosecuted for child abuse and the Sindh government's underage marriage act.

Arzoo Raja, a Christian child in her mid-teens, was abducted, allegedly forcibly converted to Islam, and married to a 44-year-old Muslim man before authorities recovered her. Her kidnapping in October had led to province-wide protests from human rights groups and activists.

In the hearing earlier today, the judicial magistrate's court for Karachi's South district decided on accepting the police challan, ordering that Syed Ali Azhar, 44, be prosecuted under the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act, 2013.

Case referred to sessions court

The magistrate's court remarked that cases be registered against the nikkahkhwan, or the marriage officiator, witnesses, a justice of peace, as well as lawyer Mehmood Hussain and his assistant, Junaid, and all of them be tried under the provisions of facilitation.

It further directed that a case be filed against Azhar's brother, Mohsin Ali, for concealing evidence. The case of child abuse, on the other hand, may be taken up in a sessions court, it added.

The court referred the case to the sessions court for further hearing.

Suspect's brothers, friend exonerated

Last month, the Sindh Police charged seven, including Azhar, for the rape of the 14-year-old. Others booked included two lawyers, two witnesses, the justice of peace, and the nikkahkhwan.

They were charged under Sections 3 (punishment for male contracting party), 4 (punishment for solemnising a child marriage), and 5 (punishment for parent or guardian concerned in a child marriage) of the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act.

An investigation report submitted to judicial magistrate XXII of District South had exonerated the prime suspect's two brothers — Syed Mohsin Ali and Syed Shariq Ali — and a friend for lack of evidence. The police had also removed the section of kidnapping after the child denied the accusation.

Fake documents, Arzoo contracts coronavirus

The prime suspect had submitted documents, including certificates of free-will, conversion, and the child's age, to the police through his attorney.

The documents, however, turned out to be fake as per the records of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), with the prime suspect being remanded to police custody and Arzoo sent to a shelter home.

Arzoo tested positive for the coronavirus and was quarantined at the Panah Shelter Home in Karachi, while Azhar tested negative and was in the jail under judicial custody.