PESHAWAR, Feb 7: The human rights directorate of Peshawar High Court on Thursday disposed of an application filed by a runaway girl against her father, charging him of arranging her forced marriage with a married person.

Parents of the teenaged girl and the said person, identified as Irfan Khan, turned up before the director of HR directorate (female) Ms Riffat Aamir and gave written undertaking that the girl would not be forced to marry. They claimed that she was having some misunderstanding as the alleged marriage was never scheduled. Three days ago the girl, 14, had escaped from her residence and reached the high court. The directorate took up her case for proceedings and summoned her parents and Mr Irfan.

The girl claimed that they had been residing in a house owned by Mr Irfan, a medical technician. She alleged that her father Gul Mohammad had planned to marry her to Mr Irfan, who was already married.

An official of the directorate said that Mr Irfan turned up before the director (female) and stated that he had no intentions of second marriage. He stated that he had always treated the girl like his sister and would continue to do so.

The father of the girl pledged that she would be married with her free will and requested that his daughter be allowed to go with him. — Bureau Report