Child marriage: Police arrest two men, moulvi escapes

They were trying to get eight-year-old girl, Q, married to Allah Dino’s 13-year-old son.

SUKKUR: Allah Dino Shaikh and Mumtaz Shaikh were taken into custody for trying to get eight-year-old girl, Q, married to Allah Dino’s 13-year-old son, in Qadria Factory Mohalla, Ghotki, on Monday. As a safety precaution, the children were also taken to the police station.

The authorities claim that they received information about the nuptials and raided a house in the neighbourhood where the wedding was supposed to be take place.

An FIR was registered against Allah Dino Shaikh, Ali Nawaz Shaikh, Mumtaz Shaikh, Sultan Shaikh and Moulvi Abdul Qadeer, who currently on the run. The head constable of the Ghotki police station, Yasir Arafat, said that the accused were presented in court and remanded into police custody for seven days. The children were handed over to Allah Dino’s wife. According to Allah Dino, Q, was his late brother’s daughter and he only wanted the children to sign the marriage contract to make sure that someone would look after her when he passed away.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2012.