Underage marriage bid foiled, four held

FAISALABAD: Factory Area police on Saturday foiled an underage marriage attempt and arrested four people, including the girl, at Sohailabad.

Those taken into custody by the police have been identified as 11-year-old Kalsoom, her father Sohail, 30-year-old groom Siddique and Nikah Khawan Ghulam Mujtaba.

Reports said the police were informed that the marriage of Siddique with Kalsoom had been planned. The police raided the house when guests were taking their meal and the Nikah ceremony was yet to be held.

The police stopped the function and arrested four people. Sohail told reporters that he was a poor man with two minor daughters having no home.

He said he used to spend his nights at public parks when a man met him. He said the man had asked him to marry off his elder daughter with Siddique and live with them along with his other daughter.

Dawn