SAHIWAL: The Rang Shah police arrested two persons, reportedly part of a village council or panchayat, that ordered a man, of village 12/KB in Arifwala, to allow the marriage of his minor daughter in a vani decision.

Muhammad Shafi was facing the council pressure after his son, Ali Raza, had eloped with Asia Bibi, of Jeewan Shah. Jahangir, bride’s father, with his brother Noor Ahmed and village elders Muhammad Mazhar, Umer Siyal and Muhammad Amin called a village council meeting where Shafi and Ali Raza were told to give the hand of six-year-old Sadia to Ali Imran, brother of the bride, besides a fine of Rs500,000.

The panchayat set June 20 deadline for handing over the vani girl to Ali Imran. Shafi, however, disappeared from the village on June 19. This infuriated Jahangir who with others ransacked Shafi’s house on June 22.

Police arrested Ghulam Qadir and Ismail for the panchayat decision.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2018