15-year-old girl allegedly forced into marriage in Sargodha

A 15-year-old girl was allegedly abducted and forcibly married off after her age was falsely declared as 18 in a marriage registration in the outskirts of Sargodha.

Police have registered a case against five people, including the Nikah Khawan and witnesses, in connection with the incident.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the suspects allegedly abducted the minor girl and took her to an undisclosed location. They allegedly arranged her Nikah against her will and presented her as an 18-year-old adult to complete the marriage proceedings.

The FIR stated that the accused deliberately concealed the girl’s actual age while arranging the marriage. The Nikah Khawan and witnesses have also been named in the case for allegedly facilitating the marriage despite the girl’s minor status.

Police said the case was registered after the girl’s family approached the authorities and reported her alleged abduction and forced marriage.

The police have launched efforts to trace the 15-year-old girl and determine her current whereabouts. Teams are working to locate the alleged victim and safely recover her.

Police officials further said that all suspects nominated in the FIR would be arrested soon and that further legal action would be taken in accordance with the law.

The investigation is underway, while authorities are also looking into the circumstances surrounding the girl’s alleged abduction, the marriage registration and the declaration of her age as 18.