Woman approaches judicial magistrate over child marriage

Says her husband married a 12-year-old girl without her consent

DI KHAN: A woman has approached the judicial magistrate after her 53-year-old husband married a 12-year-old girl in Ratha Kulachi village in DI Khan

According to a police official, Manzora Bibi complained that her husband Safdar Baloch contracted his second marriage without her consent and did not even seek the village council’s approval. She demanded her husband should be punished under Section 6 of the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961.

Baloch works as a field assistant in the agriculture department and married Manzora Bibi 28 years ago. He has three sons from his first marriage. Two of his sons are married while the third one is unmarried.

Manzora Bibi has also sent a complaint copy to K-P chief minister and agriculture department.

Separately, a man was killed over a land dispute in DI Khan on Friday. According to the police, Gul Rehman and his son Nematullah were on a motorbike when three men opened fire on them.

As a result, Gul Rehman died on the spot while his son escaped unhurt. The criminals fled the site.

A case was registered against the incident. As per initial reports, the incident was triggered by a long-standing property dispute. Further investigation is under way.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 16^th, 2016.