300 ‘kidnapping’ cases were reported in Islamabad in 2018 involving young girls.
Lahore (Pakistan Point News – 5th January, 2018) The love marriage rate in Islamabad rose by more than 100% in the year 2018.
Police records show that 300 ‘kidnapping’ cases were reported in Islamabad in 2018 involving young girls.
In 250 of these cases, girls eloped with their lovers to contract love marriage against the consent of family.
These 300 ‘kidnapping’ cases were registered at 22 police stations of ICT, police data shows.
In 2017, as many as 110 such cases were registered. Less than half of these cases turned out to be love marriages in the capital.
Apart from these 250 elopement cases, the remaining girls were abducted by coercion, blackmail or threats for turning down marriage proposals.
In most of these cases, the police allegedly delayed registration of the case for days even after receiving complaints. This gave suspects enough time to furnish marriage contract at the police station to refute kidnapping charges.
According to police sources, in 99% such cases, the girls preferred not to press charges against the suspects for a number of reasons, including social stigma and family honour.
Police officials blame the parents for not keeping a check on their children’s activities for this rise in love marriages.
