February 10, 2007

45-yr-old divorces 4-yr-old wife

Public and media pressure show results. That's a good thing to keep in mind for the future. From IANS, with thanks to Sr. Soph:

ISLAMABAD — Public and media pressure and threat of action by the police forced a man, 45, to divorce a four-year-old child whom he had married under a tribal custom in Dera Ismail Khan. A local panchayat ordered and solemnised the marriage as part of a dispute settlement under the ‘vani’ custom.

Local police arrested 13 people, including members of a panchayat, which had ordered the marriage. Those arrested included Mahboob, the man to whom the girl was married, Alamsher, the girl's father and Saifur Rehman, the panchayat leader.