SUKKUR: Police on Tuesday carried out raids in Jagirani village near Rohri town of Sukkur district to arrest an elderly man, Gaman Jagirani, and take a 10-year-old girl into protective custody on the orders of a civil judge.

The action was taken after it was reported to the police that the underage girl was married off to Gaman three days ago under a ruling passed by a jirga (tribal court), which also made the girl’s father pay a ‘fine’ of Rs3 million to Gaman Jagirani.

Gaman had accused a youth belonging to the rival side of having an extramarital affair with a woman of his (Gaman’s) family.

Police arrested the underage girl’s father and Gaman’s paternal uncle Shafi Jagirani and produced them in the court of the Rohri civil judge on Tuesday.

In his statement, Ghani Jagirani informed the judge that he was forced to comply with the jirga ruling under the custom of sang chatti (or vani).

The judge ordered medical examination of the girl and arrest of Gaman and the Nikah registrar. He also ordered release of Ghani Jagirani.

Gaman is to be produced before the judge on Wednesday.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2017