CJP Justice Saqib Nisar takes notice of declaring a minor girl ‘vani’ by jirga

ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar Thursday took suo moto notice of a decision made by a Jirga in Ghotki ordering the forced marriage of a three-year-old girl if her father could not pay fine.

Jirga was held by decision-making assembly of Mazari tribe’s elders in a border town of Sindh and Balochistan where they declared a minor girld “vani”.

The apex court has sought report from Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ghotki in 48 hours.

Ali Hasan, a resident of district Ghotki, sent an application to Human Right Cell Supreme Court alleging that a few influential people of Mazari tribe held a jirga and imposed fine Rs 300,000 on the applicant.

He said if he could not pay the penalty, his three-year-old daughter to be given in promise of marriage. He requested protection of his daughter and legal action against the jirga.