RAHIM YAR KHAN: Police thwarted an underage marriage bid on Saturday, arresting father and mother of the would-be minor bride and the “groom” in a raid in basti Chandia in Shidani police limits, Liaqatpur tehsil, 95 kilometres from here.

According to police, Husain Chandia allegedly arranged the nikkah of his minor daughter Aysha, 10, with 22-year-old Bilal Indhar of a neighbouring village some six months back after getting Rs150,000 from the groom following a tribal tradition.

The marriage ceremony was scheduled for May 14, but someone informed police about it.

Shedani Station House Officer (SHO) Rana Ashraf, leading a police team, arrested Husain Chandia and his wife Rehmat Bibi in a raid, taking minor Aysha in custody.

According to the SHO, the minor was not aware of her “marriage”.

He said the girl’s family had also arranged “mehndi” ceremony a week back.

According to the police, the minor’s father and mother confessed to have received money from the groom as “Sanmbhawa” for buying her dowry according to a tribal ritual.

The girl’s nikkah was to be solemnised after five to six years, the SHO said.

He said a case (160/17) had been registered under Section 342 of the PPC and section 6 of the Child Marriage Restraint Act 1929 and Ordinance 2015.

The groom’s father, Yasin, was also arrested and police were looking for the nikkah khwan, he added.

Published in Dawn, May 14th, 2017