Married Hindu woman forcibly remarried in Pakistan

A young married Hindu woman was forcefully remarried to a 56-year-old man from her community by local elders in Pakistan's Sindh province, a media report said. The woman, identified as Wadia Bai Meghwar, had married her cousin Suresh in a Karachi court on May 4.

However, a few days later someone from an influential family of the area took Wadia from their home, promising to marry the couple in a traditional wedding but was instead forcibly married to another man by her brother on orders from jirga, Dawn reported.

"Instead of handing her to me, her brother Gayanchand Meghwar married her off to an old man," said Suresh. Suresh said his wife has been married to elderly man Chetan Meghwar. Inspector General (IG) Sindh AD Khawaja took notice of the issue and ordered an inquiry.

"The girl's brother and other relatives have been arrested in a raid on Friday, and an investigation into the matter is underway," a police officer said. He added that senior police officials have ordered the girl be recovered and produced in court as soon as possible. Local activists called for a thorough inquiry into the jirga and the Hindu girl's forced remarriage, demanding severe action against all those involved under the recently-enacted Hindu Marriage Act and other laws for woman.