TAXILA: Police in Attock have rescued a 12-year-old girl from Khagwani village in Hazro Town after raiding a wedding ceremony.

The girl was reportedly sold for Rs50,000 by her stepfather to the 60-year-old bridegroom, a TB patient and a donkey cart driver by profession.

Police booked nine persons including the bride’s stepfather, mother, village numbardar, the bridegroom and his siblings as well as a nikah register.

According to the police, a man named Tayyab Ali was trying to quietly marry off his 12-year-old stepdaughter to a 60-year-old man named Naeem.

The bridegroom allegedly paid him Rs50,000 through the village numbardar.

According to the police, the girl’s brother made a call to the police helpline, seeking their intervention.

Subsequently, the police raided the wedding ceremony and rescued the 12-year-old bride. Police checked the B-Form of the girl and confirmed her official age.

The girl in her statement also stated to the police that she was married against her will.

The police team arrested the bridegroom on charges of forcibly marrying the underage girl.

A police spokesman informed Dawn that a First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against nine people under sections 4 and 5 of the Punjab Marriage Restraint Act and sections 420, 468 and 471 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).