Karachi girl marries rickshaw driver; family alleges abduction

KARACHI: The case of a missing eighth-grade student, a resident of Karachi’s Abbas Town, has taken a twist with reports emerging of her ‘forceful marriage’ in Rahim Yar Khan, ARY News reported on Saturday.

As per the police authorities in Karachi, the girl, named Asma, allegedly stated her age as 19 in the marriage certificate issued in Rahim Yar Khan, but the girl’s mother, asserted her daughter’s age to be between 14 and 15 years old.

“The legal age of marriage under Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act, 2013 is 18,” authorities said.

The mother of the girl disclosed that the man, who allegedly lured her daughter to marriage, don’t let her talk with Asma in person nor over the phone.

Karachi police authorities are currently in the process of seeking permission from the Home Department to initiate necessary actions, stressing that only the statement of the girl can confirm whether the marriage occurred with her consent or under compulsion.

However, the police authorities of Rahim Yar Khan have asserted that the girl provided a statement affirming that the marriage was entered due to her own free will.

READ: Dua Zehra shifted to Child Protection Bureau Karachi

A similar incident was occurred back in 2022 where a 14-year-old girl, Dua Zehra, went missing in Karachi’s Alfalah Town area.

They said the girl has been missing for the last three days. There has been no clue to her whereabouts since she stepped out of her house to dispose of garbage, they added.

The family of the girl claimed that she was abducted by unknown men.

A police official said an investigation into the incident has been launched with footage from the CCTV cameras installed in the area being examined to trace the whereabouts of the girl.