Outsiders to get police NOC for marriage in Chitral

Practice aims to end frauds in name of wedding; 55 affidavits received in 2015

PESHAWAR: To end the menace of enticing girls from poor families of Kalash and other tribes into marriage and later subjecting them to domestic torture and other evils, outsiders wishing to marry Chitrali girls would have to seek permission from the district police.

All the nikah registrars in Chitral have been directed to seek “No-Objection Certificate” (NOC) from the parties desirous of solemnising a marriage. This practice has been in vogue for a few months to end the marriage of young poor girls from Chitral outside the district.

Many young Chitrali girls married outside Chitral were later subjected to domestic violence, slavery, bondage and immoral activities.“In 2015, 55 affidavits were received and the families were granted NOC after due verification,” Mohammad Afzal, Superintendent of Police (SP) at the Central Police Office told The News.

The official added that the civil society had established an organisation, “Dawat-e-Azmat-e-Chitral” to curb the menace. However, owing to lack of authority and other impediments, the efforts of this organisation proved futile in checking the practice.

SP Mohammad Afzal said the matter was brought into the notice of Inspector General of Police Nasir Khan Durrani during his visit to Chitral last year after which the police have been directed to evolve a strategy so that no woman was fraudulently married to an outsider.

“Under the strategy, no marriage can be solemnised between the local girl and an outsider without the clearance and approval of the Chitral Police. While implementing the strategy, the DPO has appointed a focal person who is to be informed in case the family of any girl intends to marry her off to a person who does not belong to her tribe,” the official explained.

Mohammad Afzal, who is the personal staff officer of the IGP, said any person desirous of marrying a girl from Chitral had to prepare an affidavit, which was to be attested by two witnesses and an oath commissioner in Chitral.

An attested copy of CNIC verified through Nadra verification system needs to be attached with the affidavit for submission to the police focal person. “The police focal person gets the antecedents of the proposed groom verified from the DPO of his district of domicile. Following the verification, the police can give the NOC to families of the girl and the person intending to marry her,” said the official.

He informed that the District Security Branch of the local police had been tasked to carry out surveillance and report any violation of the standard operating procedure.“Besides, creating awareness, Dawat-e-Azmat-e-Chitral has been entrusted to collect information regarding any incident of marrying a girl to an outsider without the NOC from the Chitra; Police NOC,” added the police official.

The official said the people had appreciated the efforts of the KP Police. “The district council and civil society members recently appreciated the steps, saying these would ensure protection of honour and dignity of the local tribes,” he added.