CHITRAL – Police have launched an investigation into the marriage of an underage girl, who hails from Chitral, with a Member of National Assembly (MNA) from Balochistan, Maulana Salahuddin Ayubi.
Ayubi, who is the leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F), was elected to National Assembly from constituency NA-263 (Kila Abdullah) in 2018.
Police, according to local media, confirmed that a probe has been launched after receiving a complaint from an NGO working for the welfare of women in Chitral.
The girl, whose name has not been disclosed, was a student of ninth grade and she was born in 2006 in Daroosh area of Chitral.
As per Pakistani law, marriage with girls below the age of 16 years is not allowed. It further recommends punishment for parents, if they willfully do it.
The reports said that the lawmaker has just solemnized Nikkah with the girl while a proper marriage ceremony is yet to be held.
Lower Chitral DPO said that the father of the girl had assured the authorities that he would not send her daughter until she reached the age of 16.
There is no official statement from Ayubi in this regard.
