Bahawalpur: The Lahore High Court Bahawalpur Bench has ordered action against five nikah registrars for conducting underage marriages, failing to verify the ages of the bride and groom, and not filling out complete columns in the nikah forms. Senior Judge Justice Anwar ul Haq Pannu heard petitions regarding underage marriages and the recovery of girls. The court directed action against the nikah registrars involved in the following cases:
Registrar Abdul Qayyum, the nikah registrar of Arifwala, District Pakpattan, who officiated the marriage of 14-year-old Sadia Noor.
Qazi Shahid of Moza Sakheil, Union Council No. 46, Bahawalpur, who officiated the marriage of 11-year-old Amna Bibi.
Qazi Malik Muhammad Ramzan son of Faqeer Bakhsh Moza Ghulwan, Ali Pur, District Muzaffargarh, who officiated the marriage of 13-year-old Mehwish Bibi.
A nikah registrar from Ahmadpur East, who registered the marriage of 13-year-old Momal Fida.
Qazi Ghulam Murtaza from Ahmadpur East, who failed to complete the nikah form columns.
The court directed the Deputy Director of Local Government in the concerned districts to take action under the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929. In a related case, the Lahore High Court had previously issued a directive under PLD 2020-811 for the Director-General of Local Government and Community Punjab to issue rules and regulations for nikah registrars to ensure compliance. The court has now ordered action against the nikah registrars for violating these rules.
