9-year-old bride being ‘coerced to hush up abuse’
LARKANA, September 06 2005: A nine-year-old girl, married to a 25-year-old man, and her mother have been arrested on charge of committing theft in their in-laws’ house after the girl returned to her parents’ home due to alleged torture.
Afsana Chandio, now in ladies police station of Larkana, along with her mother Husna Chandio, said she was sold for marriage by her father through an agent to Maher Magsi in Shahdadkot.
A Maulvi performed the Nikah, she said, despite the fact that she was not of marriageable.
Afsana said she was being physically tortured and used to work in the agricultural land. One day when she was working in the filed of her brother-in-law, Moor Magsi, he tried to molest her, but she managed to flee.
Afsana said she informed her husband and mother-in-law about the incident, but was forced not to tell it to any other person. Afsana said she then returned to her parents’ home.
Her husband and father-in-law registered an FIR against her and her mother that they stole valuables from their home.
Social welfare bodies have demanded of the government to arrest all those responsible for arranging the marriage of the girl and also the Maulvi who performed the Nikah. They condemned the trade of girls for marriage.
Source: The News
Date:9/6/2005
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