Oppressive customs: Seven arrested after Swara victim attempts suicide

15-year-old Sara* claims she is being forcefully married to settle a dispute.

MINGORA:

Seven men were arrested over allegations of giving a girl in marriage under the Swara custom in Shah Dheria area of Kabal tehsil on Thursday.

Sardar Ali, the uncle of 15-year-old Sara*, was accused of having an illicit relationship with a married woman of another group. To settle the dispute, participants of a jirga held on August 16 decided to marry Sara to 22-year-old Sardar Hussain.



After the decision, Sara attempted suicide by swallowing poison. “I was in Saudi Arabia when I was informed about my sister’s suicide attempt, so I came back to help her,” said Sajjad*.

Sajjad said his sister had refused to accept the jirga’s decision of marrying her off to pay for their uncle’s fault. “She preferred to die rather than marry that man,” he added.

Acting on Sara and Sajjad’s complaint, Shah Dheria police officials arrested seven men including the fathers of Sara and Hussain.

The jirga’s leader, Sargan Khan, Sara’s father Habibur Rehman, Hussain’s father Khalid Khan and other members of the jirga identified as Sher Mohammad Khan, Ali Rehman, Latifur Rehman and Sardar Ali were taken into custody.

However, the accused denied the allegations in their statements, saying the decision was taken upon mutual consensus and not as Swara. “No jirga was involved in the matter.



We mutually decided to ask for Habibur Rehman’s daughter for my son and he accepted happily. No one forced anyone,” said Khalid Khan.

Habibur Rehman gave the same version to the police. “My daughter does not want to marry the man I chose for her so she started this drama,” he added.

An influential man and the jirga leader, Sargan Khan, refused he played any role, claiming he was only there to attend the engagement party.

Shah Dheria ASI Sher Badar, who is investigating the case, said there were also rumours of Swara in Bela village. “We recorded Sara’s statement and presented the seven accused in court today,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sara’s brother has appealed to higher authorities for justice. “I hope the court will give us justice and my sister will not be given in Swara,” he added.

*Names have been changed to protect identities

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2013.