Jirga in AJK marries three-year-old girl to eight-year-old boy

NEELAM VALLEY: A Jirga over a rape incident in Neelam Valley in Azad Kashmir announced that a three-year-old daughter of the accused should marry the eight-year-old son of the victim family.

The family of the eight-year-old child said that the issue was resolved according to tribal customs and the minor will get married when they grow older.

Sources close to the matter informed that on December 16 an illegal Jirga was held in Katun area where the accused in the rape case was asked to give Rs500,000 to the victim family. When he failed to pay the money, on December 22 another Jirga was held where a three-year-old girl was declare ‘Wani’ in an honour-crime. She was later wed to the eight-year-old boy.

Local administration of the area expressed ignorance over the matter.

The Pakistani law declares 16 years as minimum age for marriage of a girl.