Faisalabad minor married in 'watta satta' to 28-year-old runs away over abuse

FAISALABAD: A minor girl married off to an adult man last year as part of a watta satta arrangement here in the Tandlianwala town ran away from her husband's home on Monday due to alleged abuse.

According to police, three people — including the father and the marriage officiator — have been arrested.

Police said seven-year-old Pathani suffered torture and abuse — and possible sexual assault as well — in her marriage to 28-year-old Fareed and finally escaped her marital home in village No. 398-GB on the outskirts of the city a year after her wedding.

Police explained that Pathani's father, Tharaj, married her off to Fareed in order to go ahead with his son Raheel's wedding.

Citizens in the area handed over the minor girl to police after she escaped the abuse household and, on her complaint, registered a first information report (FIR) of Wani.

Police said they then raided the village that culminated in the arrest of three suspects.

The watta satta arrangement is a common practice in Pakistan wherein a brother-sister pair from two households are simultaneously married to each other, often despite no consent from one or more of the people being married. Wani, on the other hand, is marriage as settlement or punishment.

Further investigation is ongoing as of reporting time, whereas police noted that the minor girl was transferred to a local hospital for medical test.