9 Year Old Girl Married Off To Man Under 'Vani' in Dera Ghazi Khan

Mon, July 24, 2017

DERA GHAZI KHAN: A nine-year-old girl was married off to a man under the custom of vani in Dera Ghazi Khan to settle a kidnap case.

A panchayat (village council) in Thana Kot Mubarak area had ordered that the child be married off to the nephew of a man, who had lodged a complaint against the girl’s uncle for kidnapping his wife and three children. Police have arrested four people in connection with the child marriage and lodged cases against a dozen others. The cleric who solemnised the nikah and head of the panchayat are still at large and raids are being conducted to round them up.

On July 6, Haji Muhammad, the girl’s uncle, had allegedly kidnapped one-year-old Sanwal, three-year-old Salma Bibi and nine-year-old Iqra Bibi along with their mother. Their father, Budha Khan, sought the help of the village’s panchayat. Dozens of members from both the sides participated in its proceedings.

According to the customs of the area, the council decided that Sanwal, Salma Bibi and Iqra Bibi will be handed over to the custody of their father whereas their mother will go to her father’s house. It was also decided that the nine-year-old niece of the accused would be married off to the complainant’s nephew under the custom of vani.

It is estimated that 21% of girls in Pakistan are married before the age of 18. Child marriage in Pakistan is connected with tradition, culture, and customary practices. It sometimes involves the transfer of money, settlement of debts or exchange of daughters (Vani / Swara or Watta Satta) sanctioned by a Jirga or Panchayat (council of elders from the community).

Social and gender inequality, a desire to control women’s sexuality and protect family honour, economic hardship and lack of awareness of the harmful impact of child marriage are common driving factors.

Pakistan’s Child Marriage Restraint Act (CMRA) 1929 sets the legal age for marriage to 16 for women and 18 for men.
In May 2017, the National Assembly rejected the draft Child Marriage Restraint Act for the second time. The proposal would have increased the legal age for marriage from 16 to 18 nationwide.
In February 2017, the Parliament adopted an amendment to the Penal Code that would toughen punishment against child marriage. Offenders face a minimum of five years in prison and may serve up to 10 years.

PJN Media Monitor 24, July 2017. 

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