Habib Khan : Pakistani Man Forces Minor Daughter To Marry 72-Year-Old: Cops Rescue Bride

Before the ‘Nikkah’, the police intervened and arrested the 72-year-old groom

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa:

Authorities in Charsadda town recently prevented the forced marriage of a 12-year-old girl to a 72-year-old man, leading to the arrest of the elderly groom, Habib Khan. The shocking incident involved the girl’s father, Alam Syed, who had allegedly agreed to sell his daughter for PKR 500,000. Thankfully, the police intervened before the ‘Nikkah’ ceremony could take place.

Following the arrest, charges were filed against the girl’s father, the groom, and the ‘Nikah Khwan’ under the Child Marriage Act. This disturbing case is just one of many instances of child marriage that continue to plague Pakistan, despite existing legislation against such practices.

Similar incidents have been thwarted in other regions, including Rajanpur and Thatta, where young girls were being coerced into marrying much older men. In Rajanpur, an 11-year-old girl narrowly escaped a marriage to a 40-year-old man, while in Thatta, a young girl was saved from a forced marriage to a 50-year-old landlord thanks to swift police action.

In another recent case in Swat, a 70-year-old man was arrested for marrying a 13-year-old girl at the behest of her father. The police intervened promptly, apprehending the groom, the father, the ‘Nikkah Khwan’, and the witnesses. The minor girl was taken to a hospital for a medical examination to ensure her well-being.

These distressing incidents underscore the urgent need for continued vigilance and enforcement of laws to protect vulnerable children from the scourge of child marriage in Pakistan.

(Please note that this article has been published from a syndicated feed and has not been edited by NDTV staff.)