Forced Marriages: Peshawar High Court orders arrest of jirga members
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed the attorney-general of Pakistan, federal law secretary and provincial advocate-general to formulate a law to get rid of a custom where men lay a marriage claim to a woman.
PHC Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan issued the order on Thursday as he heard a petition filed by Muhammad Nawaz Khan whose daughters had been ‘claimed’ under the tradition called ‘ghag’.
Two brothers, Jehangir and Abdul Razzaq of Sherkera area of Peshawar district, made a ‘ghag’ on their cousins Shaista, 13, and her sister Zeenat, 11.
Khan’s counsel Muhammad Essa told the court that when the family informed the father of the event, he rejected the claim upon which a local jirga was convened.
The jirga then imposed a fine of Rs0.2 million and asked Khan to marry his daughters to his nephews. After hearing the case, Chief Justice Khan expressed concern and ordered the provincial police chief to arrest the brothers, jirga members and other family members.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 18th, 2012.
COMMENTS (11)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
First question is why anybody in world should allow at all marriage of such little girls. Isn't it called a rape. Technically yes in all of the "advanced" countries. Doesn't that come under United Nations Basic Human Rights charter?
i was wondering if this practse is in keeping with the tenets of islam. One thing is certain. Child marriage was quite prevalent in arabia even afetr the advent of islam and nowhere in the holy quran or sunnah have any restrictions been placed on this practise. The consent of the minor girl child by her father or male guardian was considered essentiall.Can a jrga assume these powers. Thats the moot question.
@Its (still) Econonmy Stupid:
Jehangir alias Jeera is 56 and Abdul Razzaq 58
i too belong for m Peshawar, never heard about this word Ghag
Jirga is a great way to solve problems but if influences then you can expect any thing.
@ khan: I belong to KPK and spent 30 years of my life in Charsadda (20 minutes drive from peshawar) and never heard of any custom like 'ghag'. can you plz enlighten me how this custom works. honestly i never heard of this.
salute to Peshawar High Court Judges, especially to Dost Muhammad Khan.
There is no place for a dual justice system. It should either be the laws of civilised nations or the laws of primitive people.
am I the only one with low IQ or something sinister that the age of boys is not given in this article? Age of both the girl is given so to be fair and understand the complexity of the case boys age should be disclosed too. I checked all other news outlet and even checked the Peshawar High Court website for original decision and it is not there.
I am shocled to know that this centuries-old custom of the Pashtuns is still exisiting even within the urban areas like Peshawar. This practice must be banned under the law.
Way to go Good keep it up All JIRGAS should be BANNED