Police rescue 12-year-old girl being married to person thrice her age

RAWALPINDI (News Desk) - Rawalpindi police have rescued a 12-year-old girl from Pirwadhai area where she was set to be married off to a 35-year-old married person by her brother under the condemned tribal custom of vani.

According to police, the girl was recovered on Monday evening and produced before a local magistrate on Tuesday. The magistrate reunited the girl with her mother, who was said to be unaware of her forced marriage.

Meanwhile the magistrate sent her brother, Jilal Hussain, the groom, 35-year-old person named Sher Gul and three other participants of legal Nikah ceremony to jail on 15-day judicial remand.

"The girl originally hailed from Mardan and was being forcibly married to Sher Gul under vani. This was first ever incident of vani marriage in Rawalpindi since the custom was declared as illegal," the Dawn quoted a police official as saying.

The official further said that the family had previously married off their 15-year-old girl to the same person who left his home after an year. At which the 12-year-old girl was being married to the person as compensation, he added.