DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A man in DI Khan died by suicide after a local panchayat (council) ordered his 13-year-old daughter to be given in Vani, a traditional practice of forced marriage as a form of punishment.
According to the First Information Report (FIR) filed at Paharpur Police Station, the father, Adil Ramzan, a barber from Bagwani Shumali village, consumed poisonous pills after the council’s decision.
Local police confirmed the arrest of the main accused and the council’s scribe who documented the decision, while efforts are underway to apprehend other suspects.
Vani, an illegal tribal practice, forces young girls into marriages to settle disputes. It often targets girls from poor families who cannot pay compensation and are coerced into complying.
In this case, police investigations revealed that the dispute arose during a wedding event, when Adil’s nephew was allegedly caught behaving inappropriately with the accused’s daughter at Adil’s home.
The matter was brought before the panchayat, which fined Adil’s family Rs600,000. However, the accused insisted on further action, claiming his daughter’s honor had been disgraced. The council then forced Adil to sign a statement agreeing to give his daughter in Vani.
Following local customs, Adil’s 13-year-old daughter was engaged to the accused’s son, and the family was pressured to marry her off immediately. Unable to bear the pressure and injustice, Adil took his own life.
Pakistan’s laws against Vani (also known as Swara), including Section 310A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), have been invoked in the case. This law criminalizes forced marriages as punishment and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
Police have also added Section 322 (Qatl-bis-Sabab) to the FIR, citing the council’s decision as a key factor in Adil’s suicide.
Authorities have assured that further arrests will be made as investigations continue.
