Police dramatically rescue girl, 10, being forced to marry a Muslim man, 50, just before contract is signed

Police have dramatically rescued a 10-year-old bride allegedly being forced to marry a 50-year-old man as they arrested eleven people including her mother.



Cops raided a house where the young girl was allegedly being forced to wed Jeetmal Mehar - who was almost the age of her father.



The groom had allegedly offered the equivalent of £5400 to the parents of the girl for agreeing to this marriage after they were left broke due to health problems.



But before the marriage contract was signed in the presence of the girl's mother Masmat Nabiat Manghrio and the groom's relatives at Muhammad's residence, police barged into the house.



The incident occurred in Khipro village in Pakistan's Sindh province.



Police failed to arrest the groom who escaped from the scene.



Gulzar Mari, a police officer who is investigating the case, said: "On December 19, around 11am we received information that a minor girl was being married to a 50-year-old man.



"We took immediate action and raided the house of Muhammad Mehar. He was the broker in this marriage and had taken £340 from the groom and £170 from bride's family."



Masmat Nabiat said that she had agreed to marry her daughter off to the man who is 40-years elder to her as the family had to pay a loan of around £3400.



She said: "My husband was ill and for his treatment we had taken loan from some influential people.



"My husband is unable to stand on his feet and can't walk that is why he was not present at the Nikah ceremony of our daughter.



"Due to financial constraints we couldn't pay back the loan. The people we had taken money from were pressuring us that they will recover their loan amount by selling our house.



"Muhammad Mehar contacted us through some sources and offered £5400 if we will marry our daughter to Jeetmal Mehar.



"Neither I nor my husband wanted to do this injustice to our daughter but we had no choice. The groom also said he will not demand any dowry and he will bear all the expenses of marriage."



Qazi Haji Solangi, who performed the marriage, said: "I was approached by Muhammad Mehar for reciting Nikah. I didn't know the girl is only 10 years old as I didn't ask for age of bride and groom.



"I just asked the names of the bride, groom and their parents name and recited Nikah."



Police have registered a case under Sindh Child Marriages Restraint Act and produced all the arrested people before a court on Wednesday.



The court has ordered the bride to be sent with her maternal grandfather and the others to jail until investigation is completed.



The court has also given a two-days time to police to arrest the groom.



Under law, child marriage is a punishable offence in Pakistan with a minimum punishment of two-years rigorous imprisonment. The imprisonment may extend to 3 years and is also liable to fine.



According to a UNICEF estimate, three percent of girls in Pakistan are married before they turn 15 and 21 percent before age 18.



Poverty, lack of education, and the culture are cited as reasons behind the practice of child marriage in the country.