A concerning incident has emerged from Karachi, where a video allegedly showing the forced marriage of an eighth-grade student, Asma, has surfaced.
Asma, originally from Abbas Town in Karachi, was reported missing and later found married in Rahim Yar Khan.
In the footage, Asma appears to be thumbprinting a marriage document. Her family, having previously lodged a kidnapping report at Sachal Police Station, is deeply troubled. The officiant of the marriage claimed that Asma consented to the marriage. He also noted that Asma lacked an identification card or ‘B’ form and declared her age during the ceremony.
He said the marriage occurred at his residence, after which he advised Asma to return to her family. Contrarily, Asma allegedly expressed concerns about her mother’s intentions to sell her to an older man. Since the marriage, there has been no communication between Asma and the groom.
Asma’s disappearance was reported by her family the day after Eid al-Fitr when she failed to return home after meeting a friend. The family suspects Asif Abbas, a local water supplier, of involvement. Despite their suspicions, they claim the police were initially slow to act.
During the police investigation, Ghulam Shabbir, Asif Abbas’s elder brother, confessed to taking Asma to Rahim Yar Khan and was subsequently released on bail. Rahim Yar Khan police have stated that Asma claimed she married of her own free will. The situation remains tense and complex, with ongoing investigations to ascertain the full scope of the events leading up to Asma’s marriage.
