MINGORA: Police on Thursday arrested nine persons, including jirga members, for marrying off a minor girl to settle an honour-related issue between two families at Gudar area of Islampur, Swat.

According to SHO Saidu Sharif, Swat, Iqbal Naseem, they got the information that a jirga had settled an honor-related dispute by giving an eight-year-old girl, daughter of one Usman Gul, in swara marriage to the rival family. He told reporters that a male member of the girl’s family, Usman Ali, had alleged illicit relations with a girl of the rival family and the jirga was held to settle that dispute between the two families.

“We got the information about the jirga solemnising the marriage of a minor girl with a 12-year-old boy, Dawa Khan, of the rival family,” he said and added that all this was done after decision of the jirga. The SHO said that they arrested nine persons, including those who attended the jirga and a local clerk, and had lodged an FIR against them under the relevant law.

Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2014