Summary Police have lodged case against the culprits and launched investigation into the matter.
SHIKARPUR (Dunya News) – Police personnel on Wednesday have foiled two child marriage attempts in Shikarpur and arrested the children’s parents.
On a tip off received from people in the neighborhood, security officers conducted a raid in Shikarpur’s Qamaruddin Village where marriage ceremonies of an eight-year-old boy with twelve-year-old girl Aleemah and two-year-old Abdullah with four-month-old Dua were underway.
Police arrived at the scene and detained the parents during child bride Aleemah’s departure. However, Nikkahkhuwaan and participants managed to flee the scene.
Police have lodged case against the culprits and launched investigation into the matter.
Currently, women can legally marry at 16 in Pakistan and men at 18 but marrying younger forces many out of education. Under existing laws, parents of child brides are punishable by only a month in prison and a fine of 1,000 rupees.
There are no reliable statistics on the number of child marriages in Pakistan as few cases are reported to the police and the government does not track the issue.
Three percent of girls in Pakistan are married before they turn 15 and 21 percent before the age of 18, according to UNICEF data.
The parents of child brides are often poor and use marriage as a way to provide for their daughter s future, especially in areas where there are few economic opportunities for women.
--With inputs from Reuters
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