Police in Chota Lahor tehsil, Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), recovered a 12-year-old girl who was allegedly sold for Rs50,000 to a man from Punjab, arresting three people in connection with the case.
The incident came to light after Haris Khan, a relative of the girl’s father Ayaz Khan, filed a report at the Chota Lahor city police station. Haris told police that Ayaz had left his daughter in his care as a child due to poverty. He stated that the girl’s mother, Tanzeem Bibi, came and took her away on the day of the incident.
Haris said that he later came to know that Tanzeem Bibi and the girl’s grandfather Said Kamal had sold her to Manzoor Abbas, 37, a resident of a village in Chakwal. He added that the girl’s nikah had been solemnised with Abbas and the two were preparing to leave for Chakwal when police intervened.
SHO (Station House Officer) Haroon Khan of Chota Lahor city police station said that upon learning of the situation, officers raided Ayaz’s house and took Abbas, Kamal and Tanzeem Bibi into custody.
He said that a case was registered against the three under sections 366, 372 and 373 of the Pakistan Penal Code, and that steps were being taken to provide legal protection to the girl.
The girl’s father, Ayaz, was reportedly kept unaware of the matter by his wife.
During the preliminary investigation, all three accused admitted to their involvement. Police spokesperson Liaqat Ali told a private media outlet that the girl had since been handed over to Haris.
