Police probe as jirga fines man for marrying girl

MANSEHRA: A jirga imposed a fine of Rs1 million on a man for marrying a woman without the consent of her family in Satbanni area of Balakot earlier this month.

“We have started an investigation to unearth facts whether the jirga issued a decree for the demand of Rs1 million from the bridegroom and if it was proved we would take to justice those involved in it,” Tasveer Shah, the SHO Balakot told reporters on Tuesday.

A local girl had married Mohammad Yasir without the consent of her parents earlier this month.

Habibullah, the father of the girl, had lodged a case of kidnapping of her daughter with police but a local court quashed the case after

the couple produced the wedlock certificate in the court.

The father later convened a jirga, which imposed a fine of Rs1 million on Yasir and asked him to pay the money to former before April 30 this year.

However, a local resident made the entire episode public and moved police seeking action against the jirga members.

The SHO said that District Police Officer Zaibullah Khan had taken notice of the jirga decision and ordered him to launch an inquiry.