Police foil marriage of underage girl

Police foiled the marriage of an underage girl and arrested three people, including the nikah khawan.

However, four people, including the groom, fled the scene.

ASI Zulfiqar Ali Kanwal of Sahiyanwala police station filed the case stating that he was informed that Khalid Mahmood, a resident of Chak No. 153RB Jhumra Road, was forcibly marrying his 12-year-old daughter Shumaila Bibi to Wasim Khan, a resident of Kachi Shukrani area.

Read Cleric held on ‘underage marriage’ charges

“On this information, I along with police personnel Yasir Mustafa, Haider Ali and Hanan Javed raided Chak No. 153RB, where I met the Imam of the local mosque Hafiz Waqas Ahmed. He said that Khalid Mehmood and Ranjha Khan had arranged the marriage of a minor and invited him for nikah. When I asked for the identity cards of the bride and groom they failed to provide those to me,” stated the ASI.

They were booked under the Punjab Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act, 2015.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 23^rd, 2021.