November 9th, 2020
Bureau report
LAHORE
A medical board has told the Sindh High Court in Karachi that Arzoo Raja, a Christian girl forcefully converted and married to a Muslim man, is between the age of 14 and 15 years.
The court sent Arzoo back to a shelter home till the next hearing after two weeks. Police told to proceed against her alleged husband under the Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act.
Arzoo told the court again she had not been kidnapped and had willingly married Syed Ali Azhar after converting to Islam. The court said Arzoo appeared to be underage and could not contract a marriage of her own free will.
Lawyer for Arzoo’s parents, Jibran Nasir said the court declared she contracted child marriage. Nasir said the court is yet to rule whether Arzoo can convert her religion of free will at the age of 13.
Arzoo’s parents have accused their neighbor Azhar Ali of abducting their daughter and forcefully converting and marrying her.