Police Confirm Teenage Karachi Girl Dua Zehra’s Underage Marriage, Abduction
17
July 2022
•
Police Confirm Teenage Karachi Girls Dua Zehra’s Underage Marriage, Abduction
•
Biden and the Saudi Crown Prince Discuss the Rights of Afghan Women and Girls
•
Taliban Forces Arrest a Boy and a Girl for Running Away from Home in Northern
Afghanistan
•
Activists’ Open Letter Urges World Leaders to Put Pressure on the Taliban for
Girl’s Education
•
Imam Arrested For Alleged Sexual Abuse Of 7 Children In Western Turkey
•
Women In Science: 15-Year-Old's Quest To Change The World
Compiled by New
Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/karachi-girl-dua-zehra-underage-marriage/d/127499
--------
Police
Confirm Teenage Karachi Girls Dua Zehra’s Underage Marriage, Abduction
Dua
Zahra (L) and her husband Zaheer Ahmed. — Screengrab via YouTube/ Geo News Live
-----
Naeem
Sahoutara
July
17, 2022
KARACHI:
Contrary to their previous claim that the case pertaining to kidnapping of
teenage Dua Zehra and her marriage was false, police on Saturday informed a
sessions court that 24 persons, including her purported husband Zaheer Ahmed,
had been found involved in abducting her from Karachi and shifting her to
Punjab, where they solemnised the illegal child marriage.
The
investigating officer of the case, DSP Shaukat Ali Shahani, stated this in a
progress report filed before Additional District and Sessions Judge (East)
Muhammad Mehboob Awan.
The
same court has already been seized with the hearing of an application of Dua’s
father seeking removal of the IO from the case for allegedly being ‘biased and
partial’. On Saturday, when the judge took up the matter, no comments/reply was
filed on behalf of the additional inspector general (investigation) and
SSP-East (investigation) as ordered by the court on the last date.
However,
the IO Shahani, who had previously recommended to the trial court to dispose of
the abduction case in “C” class for being false as nominated suspects were
found innocent, changed his earlier stance after ‘fresh’ investigation into the
matter.
He
stated in the progress report that in the light of the directives issued by the
Supreme Court and the trial court a medical board had conducted ‘age estimation
test’, which found Dua to be between 15 and 16 years, closer to 15.
He
said the statements of witnesses were recorded and the call data record (CDR)
of the cell phone of suspect Zaheer was analysed, which showed his presence in
Karachi on the day when Dua Zehra went missing.
He
further stated that in the light of statements, circumstantial, medical and
forensic evidence, held suspects cleric Hafiz Ghulam Mustafa and Asghar Ali and
Zaheer Ahmed and his 21 absconding relatives had been found involved in
committing the offence of kidnapping punishable under Section 363 of the
Pakistan Penal Code and offence of solemnising child marriage punishable under
Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013.
The
IO said that Dua was still not recovered and he had approached the Sindh home
department for permission to travel to Lahore to obtain custody of the girl and
suspect Zaheer.
He
stated that the previous IO, Inspector Saeed Ahmed Thaheem, had visited Lahore
and requested the relevant judicial magistrate to hand custody of the recovered
girl and main suspect Zaheer to him, but the court not only declined, but also
allowed her to go along and reside with her alleged husband.
Subsequently,
the IO Thaeem filed an incomplete charge sheet with the court and requested the
judicial magistrate for granting more time to complete the investigation.
IO
Shahani claimed that after the investigation of the case was entrusted to him
on May 30, the Punjab police informed him that they had recovered Dua and
Zaheer from Chishtian and subsequently the couple was produced before the Sindh
High Court on June 8, where the girl testified that she was an adult of 18
years and left her parents’ home out of her own choice and solemnised free-will
marriage with Zaheer.
Without
passing any order, the ADJ Awan fixed the matter on July 19 for comments by the
police high-ups on the plea seeking change of the IO.
Source:
Dawn
Please
click the following URL to read the full text of the original story:
https://www.dawn.com/news/1699952/new-twist-as-police-confirm-duas-abduction-underage-marriage
-----
Biden
and the Saudi Crown Prince Discuss the Rights of Afghan Women and Girls
US President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabia’s Crown
Prince, Mohammed bin Salman
-----
By
Saqalain Eqbal
16
Jul 2022
US
president Joe Biden and Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi’s crown prince, conversed
and voiced support for addressing needs and advancing Afghan people’s rights,
especially the rights of women and girls to education and the best attainable
quality of health, as well as the right to work for women.
The
two parties emphasized the importance of bolstering Afghanistan’s security and
addressing the threat presented by terrorists based in Afghanistan.
This
comes as the US’s defense budget of $839 billion for 2023, once approved with
the amendments, will bar the Pentagon from providing any form of aid to
Afghanistan.
Previously,
Biden also issued his notice of intent, withdrawing the designation of
Afghanistan as a major non-NATO ally, depriving Afghanistan of the benefits of
the designation.
Women
and girls in Afghanistan, on the other hand, are denied basic rights such as
the right to education and movement, as the men-only administration, the
Taliban, imposed draconian policies on women following the collapse of the
previous government.
Source:
khaama Press
-----
Taliban
Forces Arrest a Boy and a Girl for Running Away from Home in Northern
Afghanistan
By
Saqalain Eqbal
16
Jul 2022
The
spokesman for the Kunduz police department said that Shabana, who was engaged
to another person, and Parwiz, a resident of Mullah-Ghafoor street in Kunduz’s
fourth district, fled their home four days ago for Balkh province before
returning and being arrested in Kunduz province.
According
to Obaidullah Abedi, the spokesman for the Kunduz police department, Parwiz who
fled with engaged Shabana, have been arrested on Saturday, 16th July, and will
be handed over to the judicial bodies.
According
to the security officials in Kunduz province, the two arrested have confessed
and will be dealt with under Islamic Sharia, after investigations are
concluded.
Afghan
women have been subject to forced marriages, and domestic violence, and
according to a report by the Human Rights Watch, up to 70% of cases of “running
away” from home are associated with fleeing forced marriage or domestic
violence.
Following
the reinstatement of the Taliban in Afghanistan, several stringent edicts are
put in place, strictly restricting women’s rights, including the freedom of
movement, as travel bans apply to them without a Mahram.
Source:
khaama Press
-----
Activists’
Open Letter Urges World Leaders to Put Pressure on the Taliban for Girl’s
Education
By
Saqalain Eqbal
16
Jul 2022
World
leaders, regional allies, and international organizations were urged in the
letter to take concerted, serious actions to fulfill their commitments to
safeguard and promote Afghan girls’ rights, especially the right to education.
They
claim that after over 300 days without receiving an education, the girls’
aspirations for development and education have been distorted, and if this
situation persists, their aims and hopes will suffer greatly.
The
letter calls for solemn actions beyond a “declaration of solidarity” and only
condemning the Taliban, demanding immediate financial assistance for
Afghanistan’s educational system, funding for human rights organizations, and
the installation of alternative systems for girls’ education in Afghanistan.
The
letter reads “Although such actions (condemning and sharing sympathies) are
done with good intentions, it appears that it does not make the Taliban
accountable for ensuring the rights of women and girls.”
More
diplomatic pressure should be applied to the Taliban in order to compel them to
uphold and respect women’s rights and to immediately reopen girls’ schools,
according to the measures suggested in this letter.
The
Taliban banned secondary education for Afghan girls after seizing power on
August 15, 2021. The Taliban have not yet reacted favorably to the reopening of
girls’ schools, despite pressure from the international community.
Source:
khaama Press
-----
Imam
arrested for alleged sexual abuse of 7 children in western Turkey
July
16, 2022
An
imam appointed by Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) to a
mosque in the western province of Balıkesir has been arrested on allegations of
sexually abusing four boys and three girls between the ages of eight and 12,
the Cumhuriyet daily reported on Saturday.
The
man, who was appointed by the Diyanet as imam of a mosque in Dursunbey’s Ericek
neighborhood, was arrested after an investigation was launched into him on July
7. He was detained the day after over claims that he had sexually abused seven
children two months ago.
The
imam, who was arrested pending trial and sent to Kepsut Prison in Balıkesir,
was appointed to the post by the Balıkesir provincial director of the Diyanet
three months earlier, Cumhuriyet said.
Commenting
on the development, Muhammet Karakoyun, president of the Balıkesir Street
Children’s Association, said it was “extremely serious and worrying,” adding
that they would follow the trial to make sure the imam receives the heaviest
sentence possible.
Karakoyun
also questioned whether the Diyanet effectively investigates its officials to
see if they have criminal tendencies before appointing them as imams.
Turkey
ratified the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against
Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, also known as the Lanzarote Convention,
in 2011. According to the convention Turkey is not only responsible for
prosecuting child abusers but also for preventing child abuse.
Despite
the convention, cases of child sexual abuse have hit record levels in Turkey in
recent years, with children being the victims of 46 percent of all sexual
assault cases in Turkey. Moreover, Turkey ranks third in sexual abuse cases
worldwide. According to Ministry of Justice data, sexual misconduct against
children increased 29 percent between 2012 and 2019.
A
report by human rights defender and main opposition Republican People’s Party
(CHP) lawmaker Sezgin Tanrıkulu also revealed in November 2021 that 160 children
were subjected to sexual abuse in Turkey in the first 10 months of 2021.
An
amendment to the Code on Criminal Procedure which stipulates that instead of
taking victim testimony, tangible evidence will be required in child abuse
cases was approved by the Turkish Parliament in July 2021 with the votes of the
ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its ally the Nationalist
Movement Party (MHP).
Legal
experts have criticized the amendment, saying it will make it more difficult
for child abusers to be prosecuted because witness testimony or other forms of
tangible evidence such as DNA samples will be necessary for a conviction and it
would be exceedingly difficult to collect tangible evidence in abuse cases.
Source:
Turkishminute
-----
Women
in science: 15-year-old's quest to change the world
By
Brad Marsellos
17-07-2022
Cadence
Taylor may only be 15 years old — but the young Queenslander already has her
mind set on changing the world with science.
Tackling
climate change and its impact on the Great Barrier Reef is a driving passion
for the Bundaberg high school student, as is making sure the
under-representation of women's voices in STEM (science, technology,
engineering and mathematics) is addressed.
To
help her achieve her goals Cadence is part of a Curious Minds mentoring
program, which teams young female students with STEM professionals.
Born
and raised in Kenya, Dr Shah wishes she had access to female role models in
STEM to help her when she discovered a passion for science.
Documenting
animal life, entering data to the citizen scientist portal, interviewing
visitors to the reef and taking part in a Be a Marine Biologist For a Day
program kept the pair busy on their visit to the reef.
"Being
a mum as well, she gives back and inspires those that will be the next generation
of women in STEM. I think that's very important in today's society."
Cadence
said being part of the Curious Minds mentor project pushed her to strive harder
and think about her future in science and how she may one day help other young
women.
"It's
such a wonderful way of giving your experience and knowledge to others and
guiding them into their future STEM career."
Source:
Abc.net.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-07-17/women-in-science-mentoring-program/101236984
-----
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/karachi-girl-dua-zehra-underage-marriage/d/127499