Swara case: Twelve-year-old girl escapes jirga’s decision
Girl’s uncle presented her as consolation after his son was accused of an illicit relationship.
The girl appealed to the government to intervene and prevent villagers from marrying her off to an already married man. PHOTO: FILE
TIMERGARA:
After a jirga in Upper Dir decided to marry off 12-year-old Rubina to atone for her cousin’s mistake, the girl along with her brother escaped to their uncle’s house.
Rubina and her brother Bakht Munir, while talking to journalists, said that two months back their cousin Anwar Khan was accused of having an illicit relationship with the wife of Abdur Rahim. After the incident, Khan escaped.
Rubina said her cousin’s disappearance created an uproar in the area and a jirga was convened which directed Anwer Khan’s father Rehman Zarin, who works in Saudi Arabia, to come back to the village for the verdict.
Rubina’s uncle Rehman visited the village and persuaded Rubina’s father to give her in sawara to Abdur Rahim. Around 200 people from 25 surrounding villages decided that Rubina would be married to Abdur Rahim on April 4.
Rubina said she ran away from her house and came to another uncle’s place. Despite having daughters of his own Rahman Zarin was giving me in Sawara, she said.
The little girl appealed to the government to intervene and prevent villagers from marrying her off to an already married man.
Swara is a custom where girls are forcibly married to men of rival families to settle feuds.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 4th, 2013.
After a jirga in Upper Dir decided to marry off 12-year-old Rubina to atone for her cousin’s mistake, the girl along with her brother escaped to their uncle’s house.
Rubina and her brother Bakht Munir, while talking to journalists, said that two months back their cousin Anwar Khan was accused of having an illicit relationship with the wife of Abdur Rahim. After the incident, Khan escaped.
Rubina said her cousin’s disappearance created an uproar in the area and a jirga was convened which directed Anwer Khan’s father Rehman Zarin, who works in Saudi Arabia, to come back to the village for the verdict.
Rubina’s uncle Rehman visited the village and persuaded Rubina’s father to give her in sawara to Abdur Rahim. Around 200 people from 25 surrounding villages decided that Rubina would be married to Abdur Rahim on April 4.
Rubina said she ran away from her house and came to another uncle’s place. Despite having daughters of his own Rahman Zarin was giving me in Sawara, she said.
The little girl appealed to the government to intervene and prevent villagers from marrying her off to an already married man.
Swara is a custom where girls are forcibly married to men of rival families to settle feuds.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 4th, 2013.