D.I. Khan Woman Files Case Under Ghag Act After Receiving Death Threats Over Marriage

According to police officials, the woman received threatening messages via WhatsApp, while her father was also allegedly threatened with death.

Police in Dera Ismail Khan have registered a case under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Elimination of Custom of Ghag Act, 2013, after a woman from Umar Town lodged a complaint against two men for threatening her and her father to prevent her from marrying or settling any matrimonial alliance.

According to police officials, the woman received threatening messages via WhatsApp, while her father was also allegedly threatened with death. 

SHO of University Police Station, Asghar Khan Wazir, confirmed that investigations are underway and efforts are being made to arrest the accused. He further assured that the woman will be provided full protection and that legal action will be taken in accordance with the law.

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The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Elimination of Custom of Ghag Act, passed in 2013, is designed to criminalize the traditional Pashtun practice of “ghag”, a coercive custom wherein a man claims a woman without her consent and declares her off-limits for marriage to anyone else. This custom significantly infringes upon women's rights to freedom, education, and marriage.

Under the law, if it is proven in court that a woman was subjected to "ghag" and her life or relationships were affected as a result, the offender can face imprisonment of three to seven years along with a fine of up to Rs. 500,000.

This is not the first time such a case has emerged from Dera Ismail Khan. On February 23, 2024, a similar case was filed in the district involving a woman named Munazza Bibi, where seven individuals were nominated.