CHITRAL: The Chitral police have arrested seven persons, including the bridegroom, the nikah khwan and five witnesses over the marriage of an 11-year-old girl with a man of 35.

The incident took place in Port village of Laspur valley in Upper Chitral.

Upper Chitral deputy commissioner Shah Saud told Dawn that he had taken cognizance of the underage marriage when the police delayed registration of an FIR on the request of the girl’s father. He said the girl’s father had alleged that the accused had coerced his daughter into marrying an aged man.

Mr Saud said that a court had given the girl into the custody of her uncle, and sent witnesses Afiat, Ali Bad, Sher Guli, Manzur and Garin to jail.

He said the court remanded the prime accused, Shakoor Ahmad and nikah khwan Ali Ahmed.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2020