Police foil 10-year-old girl's marriage

Girl's father allegedly sold her to 30-year-old groom for Rs230,000

HYDERABAD: An underage girl in Khairpur was allegedly sold for marriage to a man thrice her age. The two families succeeded in solemnising the nikkah on Saturday. However, upon receiving the information, police reached the venue minutes before the newly wed couple was to leave for the groom's home.

According to Investigation Officer (IO) Khalid Hussain Chachar, the marriage ceremony of 10-year-old Hakimzadi Lashari and 30-year-old Shahid Pitafi took place in Kamal Lashari village in the rural town of Sobho Dero. The police were informed about the illegal marriage by a local resident after which they raided the place and arrested girl's father Ghulam Rasool Lashari, groom and marriage witness Siddiq Lashari.

Subsequently, an FIR was lodged on the complaint of ASI Irshad Ali Shah in which Ghulam, Pitafi, moulvi Gulzar Lashari, and witnesses. Siddiq and Mumtaz Lashari, were booked under the Sindh Child Marriage Restraint Act, 2013.



Later, civil judge and judicial magistrate Waqar Ahmed Junejo handed the girl over to her maternal uncle Sajjan Lashari and granted three-day physical remanded of the detained suspects. The IO said the police were trying to arrest the other nominated suspects.

The girl's father reportedly admitted that he had sold his daughter for Rs230,000. According to the police, Ghulam has two wives and Hakimzadi is his daughter from the second wife.