Judge allows 'child bride' to go with sister

The first civil judge of Jamshoro has adjudicated a controversial underage marriage case, allowing the child bride to go with her sister.

Police presented Siddiq Bhatti, who is accused of marrying off his 16-year-old orphaned niece, Maryam Bhatti, to his 14-year-old minor son, Salman Sono Bhatti, before the judge on Saturday. The legal marriage age in Sindh was 18.

Police, acting on the complaint of Maryam's sister Shazia, raided Siddiq Bhatti's house on Friday night and took Maryam and Sonu Bhatti into custody and shifted them to the police station.

Maryam and Sonu were in bridal dresses when Shazia along with the police party barged into the small house in Khuda ki Basti. However, by that time the nikah had already been solemnised and the wedding vows, though "under duress", had been taken.

Police had also taken Siddiq Bhatti and Muhammad Buta Bhatti into custody. Police presented Maryam, Sonu, and Siddiq Bhatti in the court on Saturday and submitted a report.

The court sought the marriage certificate (nikahnama) on which Maryam told the court that her maternal uncle Siddiq forced her to marry his minor son and did not even allow her to meet her sister. Maryam's sister Shazia complained to police they rescued her.

Mazhar Ali Soomro, head Muharar SITE police station, told the court that police had shifted the girl to police station for her safety.

The court ordered police to hand over Maryam to her sister Shazia. The court also ordered the release of Siddiq Bhatti and his son Sonu.

As per case details, on Friday night, Maryam had told the media at SITE police station Kotri that her maternal uncle forced her to marry his 14-year-old son Salman Sonu.

At the police station, Maryam told the media that she and her sister were living at her maternal uncle's home after their parents' death.

Her maternal uncle used to torture them. Shazia, tired of the beatings and abuse, eloped with a man as soon as she turned 18.

Maryam told reporters that Siddiq had threatened to kill her and Shazia if she did not marry Sonu. Maryam said even her cousin Sonu was against the marriage, but his father forced him. Maryam told the court that she wanted to go with her sister.

According to the SHO of Site police station, both the boy and the girl said that they were forced into the marriage.

A formal FIR was registered under the law against child marriage and the suspects were arrested. Police, following preliminary investigations presented all the persons concerned before the court.