Ghazala 9, being forced into childhood marriage, by father.

Ghazala 9, being forced into childhood marriage, by father.

Written by: Jawad Mazhar (ROD)

Sargodha, Pakistan, March 16^th (ROD): ‘Rays of Development Organization’ (ROD) had to step in to foil the malicious act of the marriage of 9 (Nine) years old girl child Ghazala with Abid 15, at Faazal Town, Sargodha. New Satellite Town (NST) police took immediate action against Ijaz alias Babu, the father of the naïve child Ghazala, responsible for this sinister act, at the report of ROD.

ROD has learnt that Ijaz alias Baabu was getting married to the daughter of Mansoor Ahmed and in exchange he promised to give the hand of her innocent little daughter Ghazala 8 to Abid 15, the son of Mansoor Ahmed.

This heinous practice is called ‘Watta Satta’ (exchange) in Pakistan. It is deeply rooted into the society. According to the ‘Watta Satta’ custom girls are exchanged and tied into the wedlock between two families. Often this evil custom is carried out in a bid to settle down enmities or other disputes.

New Satellite Town police station has taken Bridegroom Abid 15, Ghazala’s grandmother Banno Bibi and Ijaz alias Baabu into custody and stopped the marriage ceremony. Participants of the matrimonial ceremony and parents of the bridegroom Abid successfully escaped. The court has handed over the guardianship of Ghazala over to her close kin Gulzar.

Chairman ROD, Mr Ferhan Mazher has condemned this heinous episode saying that ROD is doing its best to ensure the provision and protection of equal rights of women in the Pakistani Society. He further expressed his outrage by adding that woe on those men who think that a woman is their property or asset. ROD protested against this atrocity in front of Press Club Sargodha.