He said, she said: Four policemen, three others accused of kidnapping girl
Razia Bibi says she was not abducted and married of her own will.
SHANGLA/MINGORA:
The father of a girl in Shangla, who claims to have eloped willingly, has accused four policemen along with three others of kidnapping his daughter. A case was filed against the accused on Sunday.
According to Karora police official Itebar Khan, retired army officer Munawar Khan told the police that on July 7, his daughter Razia Bibi was heading home when Assistant Sub-inspector (ASI) Bakht Aleem, ASI Fazal Ilahi, special force officials Yousaf Khan and Behram Khan along with Wajid Ali, Sarin Jan and Zoor Talab Khan allegedly kidnapped her.
The father said a week after Razia went missing, he learnt she had been forcefully married to Wajid Ali. Munawar then went to Ali’s house in Olandar to take his daughter back home but Munawar alleged Wajid threatened to kill him and kidnap his other daughters.
Itebar said a case has been filed against all seven, though initial investigation shows Razia had eloped without parental consent.
At a news conference at Swat Press Club on Sunday, both Razia and Ali said they married out of their own free will and wish to live in peace. Razia, a BA student at Jahanzeb College in Swat, denied that she had been kidnapped and said her and Ali had married in court.
“I eloped with him and we got married on July 7 at the district court in Swat,” said Razia. “I am happy with my husband and want to live with him.”
However, she added, the Karora police station SHO Itebar Khan has been pressurising her to change her statement and accuse Ali of kidnapping her. Razia further accused the SHO of being violent with her husband and her in-laws. Ali is a matric graduate with two other wives.
The couple presented their marriage certificate in front of the executive magistrate in Alpuri, Shangla and had their statements recorded, after which the magistrate allowed them to live together.
Both husband and wife accused the Karora police as well as Razia’s father of threatening them. Razia appealed to the government to provide them security so she could live peacefully with her husband.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2014.
The father of a girl in Shangla, who claims to have eloped willingly, has accused four policemen along with three others of kidnapping his daughter. A case was filed against the accused on Sunday.
According to Karora police official Itebar Khan, retired army officer Munawar Khan told the police that on July 7, his daughter Razia Bibi was heading home when Assistant Sub-inspector (ASI) Bakht Aleem, ASI Fazal Ilahi, special force officials Yousaf Khan and Behram Khan along with Wajid Ali, Sarin Jan and Zoor Talab Khan allegedly kidnapped her.
The father said a week after Razia went missing, he learnt she had been forcefully married to Wajid Ali. Munawar then went to Ali’s house in Olandar to take his daughter back home but Munawar alleged Wajid threatened to kill him and kidnap his other daughters.
Itebar said a case has been filed against all seven, though initial investigation shows Razia had eloped without parental consent.
At a news conference at Swat Press Club on Sunday, both Razia and Ali said they married out of their own free will and wish to live in peace. Razia, a BA student at Jahanzeb College in Swat, denied that she had been kidnapped and said her and Ali had married in court.
“I eloped with him and we got married on July 7 at the district court in Swat,” said Razia. “I am happy with my husband and want to live with him.”
However, she added, the Karora police station SHO Itebar Khan has been pressurising her to change her statement and accuse Ali of kidnapping her. Razia further accused the SHO of being violent with her husband and her in-laws. Ali is a matric graduate with two other wives.
The couple presented their marriage certificate in front of the executive magistrate in Alpuri, Shangla and had their statements recorded, after which the magistrate allowed them to live together.
Both husband and wife accused the Karora police as well as Razia’s father of threatening them. Razia appealed to the government to provide them security so she could live peacefully with her husband.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 14th, 2014.