NEEL
AM VALLEY: A jirga in Azad Kashmir, deciding a case of rape in its jurisdiction, ordered the marriage of the three y
ear old daughter of the accused to the eight y
ear old son of the victim.
According to tribal customs, it was declared by the victim’s family that t
he issue was resolved and the girl would get married to their son as soon as they grow older.
According to a source, an illegal jirga was held on December 16 in Katun area, where the accused was asked to pay Rs 500,000 to repent for his sin. However the accused failed to pay the sum to the victim’s family.
Another jirga was held on December 22, where the minor girl was presented as vani, for an honour crime, who was later married to eight y
ear old boy.
Pakistani law explicitly states that the minimum age for a gi
rl to be mar
ried is 16 years. However local authorities in the area reportedly ignored the matter.
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