More raids being conducted to catch other suspects involved, Police Says
On Monday, police arrested at least one suspect in connection with a child marriage case in Sheikhupura’s Kot Nazir area, where a five-year-old girl was married to a 13-year-old boy.
The suspect was apprehended during a raid, with additional raids underway to capture other individuals involved.
Child marriage is illegal in Punjab for those under 16, yet remains prevalent in the province.
A police spokesperson stated that a case was registered under the Child Marriage Act by an assistant sub-inspector of Sadar Muredke police station.
The first information report (FIR) indicated that the children were being forcibly married, and the suspects fled upon seeing the police.
According to the FIR, the children’s grandfather, identified as Yousaf, admitted that he and his son, Muzammil Abbas, were forcibly marrying his grandchild.
The FIR stated that the girl’s father, Imran, her grandfather, Amjad, as well as Bashir and Akram Suleman alias Chana, were also present at the marriage, with a suspect named Arshad responsible for making all the arrangements. The nikah was performed by another suspect identified as Umar Hayat.
The FIR further noted, “The said suspects committed a crime under ‘The Child Marriage Restraint (Amendment) Act 2015’ by forcibly marrying the underage children.”
In 2015, Punjab maintained the legal marriage age at 16 but increased the penalties for violations when the province amended the Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance 1971 and enacted the Punjab Marriage Restraint Act 2015