45-year-old man jailed for marrying 9-year-old in Sukkur

SUKKUR: The police arrested a 45-year-old man for marrying a nine-year-old child in Sukkur. The child's father and nikkah priest were also put behind bars.  

According to SSP Amjad Sheikh, the Pano Aqil Cantonment police got information that a nine-year-old was married to 45-year-old Abdul Basit. Subsequently, police took action and arrested the nikkah priest, girl's father and the groom.   

The girl will be presented before the court on Friday.

Around two months back, police had rescued a 10-year-old girl who was married to a 50-year-old man. On the complaint of a family member, police had taken action and rescued the girl. Her brother and father were also put behind bars.

A mindset that considers women as a commodity prevails despite child protection laws in place in the country.  

A few weeks back in Azad Kashmir, a jirga had announced the marriage of a three-year-old to an eight-year-old boy. The decision was taken over a rape incident. The girl is the daughter of the accused.

The family of the boy said that the issue was resolved according to tribal customs and the marriage will take place when they grow older. However, sources privy to the matter said they were married to each other.

Sources privy to the matter had told Geo News that an illegal jirga was held in Katun area where the accused in the rape case was asked to give Rs500,000 to the victim's family. When he failed to pay the money, another jirga was held where the three-year-old girl was declared Vani and the marriage had taken place.

When asked, the local administration of the area had expressed ignorance over the matter.

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