Arzoo Raja Case: Court grants 3-day physical remand of 44-year-old husband

KARACHI – Court on Tuesday granted police three-day physical remand of a man named Syed Azhar Ali, the 44-year-old suspect in alleged abduction, forceful conversion of Arzoo Raja.

Along with Syed Ali Azhar, the girl’s alleged husband, Syed Shariq Ali, Syed Mohsin Ali, and a friend, Danish, for allegedly abducting the underage girl, purportedly forcibly converting her and marrying her to a Muslim man.

Police present the accused in the court, the suspect's counsel claimed the 13-year-old Arzoo had willingly wed Ali. He argued that the prosecution can neither seek arrest nor judicial remand in the case.

The case adjourned till November 5, the court asked police to submit DNA report and other evidence on the next hearing.

Acting Karachi police Chief Arif Hanif said that the girl was being moved to a shelter home as per the high court’s directions. The suspect would be presented before a court on Tuesday.

The court noted that the first issue has to be “decided first as no underage can get married according to the law prevailing in this country”.