Police in Swabi say they recovered a 12-year-old girl allegedly sold for Rs50,000 to a man from Chakwal and arrested three suspects. A case has been registered under relevant PPC sections.

SWABI: Police in Swabi said they recovered a 12-year-old girl and arrested three people after she was allegedly sold for Rs50,000 to a man from Punjab in Chota Lahor tehsil.

According to police, the case came to light after Haris Khan, a relative of the girl’s father Ayaz Khan, lodged a report at Chota Lahor City Police Station. In his complaint, Haris said Ayaz had left his daughter in his care when she was very young because of poverty.

Haris told police that on the day of the incident, the girl’s mother, Tanzeem Bibi, took the child to her house. He later learned, according to the complaint, that Tanzeem Bibi and the girl’s grandfather, Said Kamal, had allegedly sold her to 37-year-old Manzoor Abbas, a resident of a village in Chakwal district. The complaint further stated that the girl’s nikah had been solemnised with the man and that preparations were under way for her departure to Chakwal.

Chota Lahor City Police Station SHO Haroon Khan said police acted after learning of the development and raided Ayaz Khan’s house, where they arrested Abbas, Kamal and Tanzeem Bibi. He said a case had been registered against the three suspects under sections 366, 372 and 373 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The SHO said steps were being taken to ensure legal protection for the girl. Police also said that during the preliminary investigation, the three accused admitted their involvement in the matter.

Police spokesperson Liaqat Ali said the girl had been handed over to Haris. Police added that the girl’s father had reportedly been unaware of the alleged arrangement by his wife