Vani (custom)

Vani (Urdu: ونی), or Swara (سوارہ), is a custom where girls, often minors, are given in marriage or servitude to an aggrieved family as compensation to end disputes, often murder.[1][2] Vani is a form of arranged or forced child marriage,[3] and the result of punishment decided by a council of tribal elders named jirga.[4][5] Some claim Vani can be avoided if the clan of the girl agrees to pay money, called Deet (دیت). Vani, sometimes spelled Wani or Wanni, is a Punjabi word derived from "vanay," meaning blood. It is also known as Sak and Sangchatti (سنگ چتی) in different regional languages of Pakistan.[6][7][8]

Though laws in 2005 and 2011 have declared the practice illegal,[9] the custom still continues to be practiced.[10] In 2004, the Sindh High Court outlawed all such "parallel justice" systems. But the writ of government is weak in rural areas, and local police often turn a blind eye.[11]

  1. ^ cf. e.g. Samar Minallah v. Federation of Pakistan, Const.P. No. 16/2004 Archived 2017-02-07 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ "Vani: Pain of child marriage in our society | NewsPakistan.PK". 19 October 2013. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  3. ^ Nasrullah, M., Zakar, R., & Krämer, A. (2013). Effect of child marriage on use of maternal health care services in India. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 122(3), pp 517-524
  4. ^ Forced child marriage tests Pakistan law Barbara Plett, BBC News (5 December 2005)
  5. ^ Bedell, J. M. (2009), Teens in India, Capstone
  6. ^ Nasrullah, M., Muazzam, S., Bhutta, Z. A., & Raj, A. (2013). Girl Child Marriage and Its Effect on Fertility in Pakistan: Findings from India Demographic and Health Survey, 2006–2007. Maternal and child health journal, pp 1-10
  7. ^ Vani a social evil Anwar Hashmi and Rifat Koukab, The Fact (Pakistan), (July 2004)
  8. ^ Ahsan, I. (2009). PANCHAYATS AND JIRGAS (LOK ADALATS): Alternative Dispute Resolution System in Pakistan. Strengthening Governance Through Access To Justice
  9. ^ PPC S. 310A inserted by Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2004 (I of 2005), S. 7 and amended by Criminal Law (Third Amendment) Act, 2011 (XXVI of 2011), S. 2
  10. ^ "Vani verdict". The Express Tribune. 9 October 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
  11. ^ "15 child brides used to settle Pakistan feud". the Guardian. 4 June 2008. Retrieved 1 May 2022.