Watta satta: 4 arrested on child marriage charge

Qaimpur SHO says watta satta was un-Islamic and illegal and ones involved would be prosecuted.

BAHAWALPUR: A man was arrested on Saturday for trying to wed his 9-year-old niece to his 9-year-old brother-in-law in an exchange marriage. Police said Yaseen had married Abdul Majeed Jaam’s daughter a year ago. He had promised to marry off his orphaned niece to Jaam’s son. On Saturday, Jaam, a resident of Basti Manzoorabad, and his son went to Yaseen’s house, in Basti Naimat Ali near Mailsi. Neighbours informed the Qaimpur police about the wedding who raided Yaseen’s house just in time. Police have taken Jaam, his 9-year-old son, his brother Gulzar and Yaseen into custody. Guests at the wedding said Yaseen had brought up the girl after the death of her parents. Qaimpur SHO Noor Nawaz Khan said watta satta was un-Islamic and illegal. He said all those involved would be prosecuted.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 18^th, 2014.