A man has been arrested in Pakistan after allegedly marrying off his three-year-old daughter to a 60-year-old man. The suspect reportedly sold the child for less than £7,000. The man who paid for the girl has disappeared, prompting an urgent police investigation to find him.
Arrest and police investigation
The father remains in police custody in Pakistan after being arrested in the border city of Chaman in Balochistan. The marriage has also been linked to the murder of the girl's older sister around two weeks ago, according to the force.
The exchange was carried out as part of "walwar", a marriage custom practised in Pashtun societies across northwestern Pakistan and Afghanistan. The tradition sees the groom, or his family, pay money to the bride's father before a marriage can take effect.
Marriage agreement and legal context
Local media in Pakistan reported that the men had agreed a financial figure and the marriage agreement was about to take place. However, news of the marriage went viral, and police launched an investigation.
The man reportedly sold his daughter for 2.5 million Pakistani rupees (£6,802). The 60-year-old man who married the child has since fled the area and is linked to the killing of the young girl's older sister.
Child marriage law and wider issue
The Pakistani province of Balochistan prohibits child marriage, with a law making it illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to marry an adult. Adult men convicted of child marriage can face up to three years in prison, as well as a fine of up to 200,000 Pakistani rupees (£540).
Despite this, adult marriage remains a problem across Pakistan. Figures show that, as of 2018, nearly one-in-25 girls under the age of 15 have been married. UNICEF says the issue is worse among poorer households and families, who accept sums of money to marry off young children.
Pakistan's Council of Islamic Ideology said: "Declaring marriage below the age of eighteen as child abuse and prescribing punishments for it, and other controversial provisions, are not in line with Islamic injunctions."
The Council rejected the bill and clarified that it was not sent to the Council for review by the Parliament or the Senate. It added: "Marriage should be protected from unnecessary legal complications, and a public awareness campaign in this regard could prove more effective."
