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| Child marriages 'no big deal' among mountains of Doda, Kishtwar districts | | 12 year old's marriage raises prickly questions | | Asif Iqbal Naik
KISHTWAR, Sept 8: She was left unattended and alone to die at the age of 4 , now she refuses to recognize her biological parents who want to marry her at the age of 12.
This a story of a 12 year old Bakerwal girl Mohina (name changed) who was raised in her 2nd house after her father Shams-ud-Din handed over her custody to Mushtaq Ahmed Sheikh of Kishtwar and hardly comes back to see her during all these 8 years. During all these 8 long years, she forgot her biological parents before the love and affection that she received from her new parents at her new home.
It was now after 8 years, that her biological parents want the custody of her daughter back and approach the local Anjuman Islamia Kishtwar for intervene to get her daughter back after she refused to accompanied by her biological parents.
While talking to the "Early Times" 12 year old Mohina (name change) said that she is a student of 7th class at a local school in Kishtwar town and said that her biological parents whom she never recognized as her parents wants to marry her. She said that her elder sister a student of 10th class few days ago arrived at her 2nd home and wants her to accompany her for home which she denies.
After interference of her new parents, she got ready to go to her biological parent's home for few days and take a leave from her studies. She said that after reaching at biological parents home, they wants to retain me and did not allow me to go back. She said that after staying for few days at her biological parents' home, she somehow came to know about the plan of her and her sisters (10th class student) marriage while her family members were preparing for solemnizing her marriage with some of her unknown relative.
She said that after she came to know about her marriage plan, she somehow manage to escape from the custody of her biological parents and return back to her 2nd home and narrated the whole story to them. She said that she did not want to leave her 2nd home as she feels more love and affection from her new parents as compared to that of her biological parents. She said that she did not want to get married at this stage of life as she has lot of love for studies and wants to continue it till she achieves something.
She said that giving birth to a child is not the only thing that matters. She questioned the credibility of her biological parents and said that why they left her to die at the age of 4 years and now after 8 years why they wanted to get back my custody. The wife of Mushtaq Ahmed Sheikh said that she can't live without her. She said that she had three sons and have no daughters.
She said that it was 12 year old Mohina (name change) who fill up that gap, when her husband handed over 4 year old Mohina to her. She said that she still remember the worst condition of her new daughter. "I took her to hospital and gave her medical treatment. I love her more than my three sons as she is dearer to me," said wife of Mushtaq as tears roll down from her cheeks. She said that she is ready to fight any battle to retain her loved daughter. "I will die without her," she further added.
Mushtaq Ahmed Sheikh said that neither his wife nor he himself denied the truth that Mohina is the daughter of Shams-ud-Din and said that in case Mohina decided to get back to her biological parents home, he has no objection, but said that neither he or anyone from his family will allow her biological family to marry her at the age of 12 years. He said that in case Mohina decided to get back to her biological parents home, they will not stop her.
He said, they maintain her original parent-ship in school records and did not tried to give her own parentage since the move is anti religious and Islam did not permit the same. He said that he and his wife are ready to accept any decision which is in the interest and betterment of her loving daughter Mohina.
Mohina also shows us her marks card of 5th and 6th standard in which she secured more than 80% marks. She also shows her beautiful dresses gifted to her by the new relatives from time to time and said that she will never left the new parents and their family members. Earlier, Immam, Jamia Masjid Kishtwar Farooq Ahmed Kichloo who is also chairman of Shariyat committee after series of discussion and exchange of thoughts over the matter gives four months time to both the families to settle the issue of custody of the minor girl and handed over her custody to new parents after the 12 year old girl refuse to go along with her biological parents.
She in her statement before Shariyat committee did not recognize her biological parents as her parents. On asking her name she called herself as daughter of Mushtaq Ahmed Sheikh and shows her unwillingness to accompany her parents who strongly resisted for getting back her custody. Though the mother of the girl refuses to accept the decision of the Shariyat committee, but accepted the same at later stage fearing police action. Though the Kishtwar police was informed about the incident of attempt to marriage of 12 year old Bakerwal girl by her biological parents, but they did not turn up to investigate the matter, the matter which is considered as biggest social crime in present era.
It is worthwhile to mentionhere that as per the tradition among some local Bakerwal tribes, they solemnized the marriage of their daughter on account of payments from bridegroom family. The amount either consists of cash or some animals were given in lieu of marriage. There are several reports of teenage marriage among the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities in Doda and Kishtwar District districts |
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