MULTAN, Dec 17: Two adolescent girls have been declared ‘Vani’ to ‘compensate’ for their brother’s elopement and subsequent marriage with a girl some seven months ago at Bughlani, Taunsa tehsil.

The Vani verdict was given by a panchayat (jury) comprising local elders to ‘resolve’ the dispute between the families concerned.

Reports said Iqbal had an affair with a girl of the same village, Parveen.

The couple eloped, and Taunsa police registered an FIR (174/08) under Section 365-B, 380, of the PPC on the complaint of Ghulam Yasin Maswani, the father of Parveen, on May 29. Later the couple tied the knot.

A panchayat, comprising Haji Muhammad Bakhsh Gaazar, Seith Zaman and elders of the two families concerned, was held a week ago to resolve the dispute.

In its decision, the panchayat ordered Iqbal’s family to marry two sisters of Iqbal — Samina (13) and Lali (7) to the brothers of Parveen, Saleem (17) and Khalil (9), respectively.

As per the verdict, Samina was married to Saleem, and the marriage was registered with Sokarr union council on Dec 8, while Nikah (marriage contract) of Lali with Khalil was also held. However, both sides agreed that the child bride would start living with the groom after a few years.

Dera Ghazi Khan Regional Police Officer Mubarak Athar expressed his ignorance about the incident, while Taunsa DSP Asad Aliyani was not available for his comment.
Source: Dawn
Date:12/18/2008