KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday sent Arzoo Fatima, who converted to Islam from Christianity and married a man out of free-will in Karachi, to a Shelter Home after the medical board confirmed that she was underage.
The medical board comprising five members in its report declared that the girl was around 14 to 15 years of age and not more than that. Upon which, the two-member court bench headed by Justice KK Agha said that then it was a case of child marriage.
The board submitted the report to the high court during the hearing of the case of alleged forced conversion and abduction.
Arzoo once again apprised the court that she married the man Ali Azhar out of her free will. She said she was under no pressure and willingly accepted Islam.
When the court inquired her that if she wanted to go with her parents or to the shelter home, she burst into tears and cried that she wanted to go with her husband.
The justice directed the investigation officer to carry out interrogation under the Child Marriage Act. Before adjourning the hearing for fortnight, the court also directed that she should be let meet with those people only whom she wanted to meet.
On Nov 5, the court had ordered for formation of a medical board to determine age of the girl.
