Astore, Gilgit-Baltistan — A disturbing case of underage marriage and potential human trafficking has surfaced in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, where several underage girls have reportedly been married off to much older men. In a recent case, a man from the Thorar area of Rawalakot, Poonch — identified as Masoor, aged over 50 — has been arrested for marrying a minor girl from Astore district.
According to police sources, Musawar was taken into custody along with the girl’s father, brother, and the matchmaker after authorities discovered during a CNIC registration attempt that the bride was underage.
Musawar, who reportedly married the girl a month ago, admitted during a local media interview that he had spent more than 500,000 PKR on the marriage, including bride expenses and travel costs.
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“If I had known she was a minor, I would never have married her. I’m ready to divorce her now,” he stated during his interview from the police station.
The girl’s father denied any involvement, while her brother, who allegedly accepted the payment, downplayed the issue by saying:
“I don’t see anything wrong in it — I have young children too.”
A Pattern of Abuse and Exploitation
The matchmaker claimed that the girl had previously been married to a drug addict in Chilas and was divorced after paying him ($1769) PKR 150,000. She stated that PKR 100,000 was given to the girl’s brother and that the match was arranged with full family consent.
Deputy Speaker of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, Sadia Danish, condemned the practice of marrying off underage girls as a form of human trafficking, calling it a “moral, legal, and humanitarian crime.”
“This is a stain on our society, on parental responsibility, and on basic human dignity,” she said.
“When brothers — meant to protect their sisters — begin selling them for a few rupees, it is a moment of national shame. Such heartless and soulless individuals deserve no leniency.”
Sadia Danish also expressed deep concern over the increasing number of reports involving minor girls being trafficked from Astore to Punjab and Azad Kashmir under the guise of marriage.
According to unofficial sources, 70 to 80 such marriages have been reported, where elderly men were wed to teenage girls, many of which ended in immediate separation or have subjected the girls to ongoing abuse and violence.
In one shocking incident, a 13-year-old girl was allegedly sold twice under the pretense of marriage.
Mixed Reactions from the Community
While authorities and human rights advocates have strongly condemned the practice, some locals in Thorar, Rawalakot, have come forward in support of Masoor, describing him as a “simple and hardworking man” who faced financial hardship throughout his life.
Fatima Akhter, a local social worker, stated:
“Masoor has seen extreme poverty. He spent his life supporting his family and arranging his siblings’ weddings. He couldn’t marry at the socially expected age. He didn’t buy a bride; the money he paid went toward clothing and jewellery, as is customary.”
She added that Masoor was led to believe the girl was divorced and of legal age, and that he had even personally taken her to Gilgit for official ID documentation.
Human rights groups have repeatedly called for stronger enforcement of child protection laws, particularly in remote regions like Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, where poverty and lack of education often enable such exploitative practices.
While the government has passed laws setting the minimum age of marriage, enforcement remains weak — especially in cross-regional cases involving vulnerable families.
