KARACHI - The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday ordered the authorities to recover Arzoo, a Christian girl who was allegedly converted to Islam under coercion, within three days and send her to a shelter home.
Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari confirmed the development. Taking to social site twitter she said, “Next hearing fixed for Thursday morning. My lawyer has informed the court that an intervener will be filed on my behalf.”
Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahhab also confirmed the development in a tweet on Monday. “In the Arzoo case, on Monday, judge has ordered the girl be recovered by police and relevant agencies and be shifted to a shelter home.”
Lawyer and social activist Jibran Nasir said that Arzoo was only a 13-year-old and the provisions of the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013, had been incorporated by the police in the case.
The alleged abduction, conversion of Arzoo into Islam by force and marriage with a Muslim man despite being underage had sparked protests from human rights groups. Arzoo’s father had earlier pleaded to the court to send her to a shelter home instead of sending her with her alleged husband. Father claimed she was not safe with him.
