Minor girl saved from being ‘Vani’

FAISALABAD, July 29: An 11-year-old Christian girl has been made ‘Vani’ to pay for the audacity of her brother who eloped with a girl.

Dawn learnt that Shahid had an affair with a relative, Tanzeela, and eloped with her. They tied the knot on July 8 and Tanzeela returned to her parents.

The situation infuriated the family of Tanzeela who threatened Perveen, widow of Haddayat Masih and mother of Shahid, with consequences if she did not compensate them.

A panchayat (village jury) held on July 27, consisting of Munir Masih, Bushra Bibi (parents of Tanzeela) and Abbas, uncle of Tanzeela, asked Perveen to marry her daughter Sonia to Naseer Masih, a brother of Tanzeela. Perveen gave her consent and materialised the decision.

A priest, of Chak-7 Church solemnised the marriage against the will of Sonia. Both sides agreed that the bride would leave her parents after three years.

The issue surfaced on Tuesday when Naseer and his family ‘disproving’ the agreement forced Perveen to send Sonia to her groom’s house immediately.

However, Perveen hid Sonia at some secret location and filed an application with the City Police Officer (CPO), Mohammad Aslam Tareen, saying that some of her relatives had made her daughter ‘Vani’.

The CPO ordered a probe into the matter and police arrested five people — Bushra, Naseer, Munir, Abbas and Shahid.

The CPO said a case had been registered with the Civil Lines police station.
Source: Dawn
Date:7/30/2008