FAISALABAD: A woman has appealed to Punjab chief minister for recovery of her 12-year-old daughter who was allegedly married to a 30-year-old man to settle a lover-marriage row under the direction of a panchayat (jury).

The complainant, Rani Bibi, also sought action against the members of the panchayat and police concerned for not taking required legal action, despite having knowledge of the incident that took place some 10 days ago.

A seven-member panchayat held at Chak Bagu Da Koh, Tandlianwala, had reportedly taken up the issue of Azhar’s love marriage with Mafia Bibi of the same village.

The jury decided to marry Naziran Bibi (12), a sister of Azhar to Ramzan (30) of the same locality to ‘compensate’ the aggrieved party for the ‘dishonor’. Such an arrangement is called vani. Accordingly, the nikkah of the minor girl was solemnized with Ramzan.

Rani Bibi told reporters that since the forced Nikah, her daughter had been kept by the ‘abductors’ at an undisclosed location and she was not being allowed to meet her parents.

She alleged the police were aware of the issue but none of the officers was ready to act against the jury members -- Khadim, Zulfiqar, Amin, Iftikhar and their three accomplices.

She also alleged that the police subjected her to torture when she insisted on recovery of her minor daughter. Tandlianwala Sub-Divisional Police Officer ASP Jawad Tariq told Dawn he was on the spot and investigating the matter himself.

City Police Officer Dr Haider Ashraf said the girl, when recovered, would be kept in Darul Aman and her age would be determined. Besides, he said, statement of Rani Bibi would also be registered.

He said the incident had happened about 10 days ago.