May 26, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 20, 1429

MULTAN, May 25: Dera Ghazi Khan police have declined to register a `forced marriage’ case against a 73-year-old man.

Reports said Hamida Bangalan, a resident of Paigah district, had arranged marriage of her 11-year-old daughter Mariam Bibi with Jan Muhammad Dogar, 73, of the same area.

On Friday, the `bride’ started weeping during her Nikah ceremony. On the protest of Mariam’s brother Nadeem, 15, and her aunt Lakhaan Mai, men of the `groom’ beat them up.

Nadeem and Lakhaan Mai contacted the DG Khan Saddar police after Jan Dogar took the girl to his house.

Lakhaan Mai, also a councillor of the area, told newsmen that the police had refused to lodge a forced marriage case and filed a theft case (FIR No 325) against the accused under sections 456 and 380 of the PPC.

Talking to Dawn, Saddar ASI Mehr Zulfiqar said the girl’s relatives had contacted the police to stop the marriage but the bride’s mother, the actual guardian of the girl, told the police that she arranged the marriage according to her own will and after consulting her daughter.

“The accused party has submitted the Nikahnama of the girl that is attested by the secretary of the union council,” Mehr Zulfiqar said.