By Khurshid Anwar Khan

MIANWALI: The chapter of rights denial and torment of girls in many backward areas is yet to be closed as the fresh case of a nine-year-old girl’s marriage with a sexagenarian has come to fore.

Thanks to intervention of some neighbours and the Union Council 15/1 nazim that the girl was saved from being handed over to a professional beggar who happens to be her father’s creditor.

Reports said Abid Amir, a professional beggar with an amputated leg, lent Rs30,000 to Muhammad Zaman, a drummer, for three months. Zaman, however, failed to pay back the amount despite persistent demand by Abid.

The beggar demanded that his debtor gave his (Zaman) daughter’s hand in marriage to him for which he would pay an additional Rs10,000 to him and the loan would stand settled.

Abject poverty made Zaman agree to the beggar’s demand and he solemnised nine-year-old Saira Bibi’s Nikkah with the beggar six months ago in the presence of Maulvi Hafiz Ahmad Hassan of Mohallah Miana, Mianwali.

He also signed an affidavit that he had received Rs30,000 and would get another Rs10,000 on the day of wedding (rukhsati). And that the wedding date would be fixed when the girl would attain the age of puberty.

The beggar later pressurised Zaman to arrange marriage at the earliest and Feb 7 (yesterday) was fixed.

On Saturday night, some neighbours got the scent of the deal and informed UC nazim Ziaullah Khan who called the police and helped save the girl from marriage.

City SHO Tahir Khitchi told Dawn that the police were hunting for the beggar to get the Nikahnama quashed. He warned the girl’s parents against committing any such deal in future.

The nazim told this correspondent that as soon he got information about the marriage of a minor girl with her father’s creditor, he informed the district police officer and they saved the girl.
Source: Dawn
Date:2/8/2010