DERA ISMAIL KHAN: In the Bhagwani Shumali neighborhood, under the boundaries of Paharpur Police Station, a local council (panchayat) forced his 11-year-old daughter to be given as vani. The father then committed himself by ingesting lethal pills.
In the criminal practice of vani (also called swara), young girls—often minors—are forced into marriage or forced into slavery in order to settle conflicts, especially when there are charges of dishonor or murder.
According to The News, the panchayat had also demanded Rs0.7 million from the impoverished barber, Adil, prior to the unfortunate event. When it was discovered that Adil’s nephew and Fareed, the accused’s daughter, had been in communication with one another, the ordeal started.
