November 08, 2008	Saturday	Ziqa'ad 9, 1429

NAUSHAHRO FEROZE, Nov 7: A man severely beat up his teenage daughter and detained her in their house with hands and legs tied with a rope in Talib Solangi village in the outskirts of the city on Thursday evening to compel her to marry his relative, said her mother.

Hasina told journalists on Friday that when her daughter refused, her suitor, his father and other relatives were called who also beat up the girl and her and tied their hands and legs with a rope.

Maseena, 12, daughter of Mohammad Hanif Solangi, has been resisting since June last when her relatives forced her father to either marry her to Usman, son of Taj Mohammad Solangi, or return Rs25,000 which he had taken from Usman’s sister Samina.

According to her mother, the girl submitted an application before the sessions judge of Naushahro Feroze on June 25, stating that Usman, his father and three others, armed with hatchets and sticks, barged into their house, beat up her father, mother and her and tried to kidnap her. However, they had to leave her on her cries but threatened that if the marriage proposal was not accepted, her family should be ready to face false cases.

Hasina said that when her daughter went to the area police station with her father, the police refused to register an FIR rather pressurised her father to marry her to Usman, because their opponents were influential people.

Meanwhile, another application was filed by the sister of Usman and both the applications were transferred to the court of the additional sessions judge. Both the applications were dismissed when Samina’s lawyer told the court in writing that he had resolved the dispute.

Even after that Usman’s continued pressuring Hanif to arrange the marriage. Hanif accompanied by his other relatives and carrying the Holy Book, went to the house of Usman and both the parties decided to drop the idea of marriage and payment of Rs15,000 by Hanif to Samina.

But Usman’s family did not abide by the agreement and Samina lodged an FIR under section 420, 406, 506/2 and 337H (II) of the PPC at the Naushahro Feroze police station on July 3 against the father of the girl her brother Nawaz, brother-in-law and others and got the father and brother of the girl arrested. Hanif and his son were released on bail on September 19.

According to Hasina, Taj Mohammad continued to pressurise them for the marriage, threatening otherwise their close relatives would not be spared. Their threats materialised when CIA police arrested brother of the girl in a theft case, severely tortured him and disallowed his relatives to meet him.

Usman’s family made Hanif agree about the marriage after which his son was released.

As the girl still refused to marry Usman, his father instigated Hanif to use force on his daughter and wife to make them surrender to his will.

On Thursday evening, Hanif severely beat up his daughter with sticks but she refused to budge. Hanif called Taj Mohammad, Usman and their relatives to his house. They also severely beat up the girl and her mother.

Frightened Maseena came out of her small house but her father, Taj Mohammad and Usman followed her and continued thrashing her in the street of the village.

When residents of the village and adjacent Qaim Colony tried to rescue the girl, her tormentors hurled abusive language on them.

The mother of the girl told Dawn that Maseena had been confined in the house and she wanted to move an application in the court of law but she had been threatened by her husband that if she did so, she would be sent to a mental hospital.