Child marriage: Bride’s father, bridegroom arrested

The police were informed that the accused was marrying his 10-year-old daughter to a 12-year-old boy.

GUJRAT:

A 12-year-old bridegroom and the 10-year-old bride’s father were arrested on Monday on charges of child marriage.

The police were informed that Zafar Iqbal, a resident of Phularwan village, was marrying his 10 year old daughter to a 12-year-old boy.

By the time the police arrived at the scene, the neighborhood prayer leader Imam Qadri Munir had already completed the nikah ceremony.

Police arrested the bride’s father and the child groom. Police said the regular nikah registrar of the area Qari Haji Ahmad Khan had refused to perform the nikah saying that it was not legal.

They said the family had then called the prayer leader, who is missing.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2013.