Abducted Hindu boy still missing
The Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) and civil society organizations on Thursday held a protest on the National Highway in Khairpur district against the abduction of an eight-year-old son of a Hindu trader and non-cooperation of police in registering a case.
According to protesters, the boy’s father is a trader in Ranipur and had reportedly refused to pay money to a gang of extortionists. They suspect the boy may have been kidnapped by this gang in retaliation.
Ranipur Police have raided several suspected houses, and have arrested a female relative, however a case has yet to be registered.
Dua Zehra to be brought back to Karachi for medical tests
A Karachi police team investigating the Dua Zehra case has arrived in Lahore seeking the permission of the Punjab Home Department to take the girl back to Karachi for further medical tests to determine her age.
In an earlier ossification test conducted on the orders of the Sindh High Court, Zehra’s age was reported as between 16 to 17 years, following which the court allowed her to return with her husband.
On the plea of the girl’s father, Mehdi Ali Kazmi, the Sindh Health Department constituted a medical board to determine her age. The board is headed by Professor Saba Sohail, principal of Dow Medical College Karachi, and comprises at least nine other medical experts.
New measures for animal welfare announced
Salman Sufi, head of the Prime Minister’s Strategic Reforms, announced new measures to end animal exploitation in Pakistan. In this regard, he unveiled a helpline number (currently operational only in the Federal territory) for citizens to report incidents of animal cruelty.
The new measures also include a ban on poisoning and shooting at animals, and special rules for pet shops. Sufi also announced that a bill for animal protection and welfare will be presented in the National Assembly.
SHC directs alleged underage marriage case to trial court
The Sindh High Court has issued directives to police to file an investigation report in a trial court to decide the case of an alleged free-will marriage of a Khairpur girl.
The girl and her husband had petitioned the high court to quash a first-information report (FIR) filed by her family against her husband and his family, and pleaded for protection. She stated that she had not been abducted and had married of her free will.
The counsel for the girl’s family told the court that the girl is a minor and therefore her marriage was illegal under the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act 2013. The bench directed the Investigating Officer (IO) to record the petitioner’s statement, in which she reiterated that she had not been abducted and married of her choice, and to file a final report with the concerned trial court for proceedings in accordance with the law.
Transgender person murdered over petty dispute
Two unidentified men stabbed a transgender person, identified as Amir Masih, over a petty dispute in Tench Bhatta area near Rawal Town Road, Rawalpindi.
The nephew of the victim told police that he received a call from someone that his uncle had been murdered. The complainant and his father reached Amir’s apartment where they were informed by one Ashfaq Masih that two people stabbed the victim dead after accusing them of damaging their cooler.
Police have yet to arrest the suspects.
