Fact Check: Minor Christian girl forced to marry Muslim man in Pakistan? No, here are the facts
A video has been circulating on social media, claiming it shows a minor girl being forced to marry a 40-year-old Muslim man in Pakistan.
By - Md Mahfooz Alam
Claim:The video shows a minor girl being forced to marry a 40-year-old Muslim man in Pakistan.
Fact:The claim is false. The video is related to a domestic dispute between a married couple in Lahore, Pakistan.
(Content warning: The article contains visuals of violence against women. Viewer discretion is advised.)
Hyderabad: A video allegedly showing the assault on a crying girl by a man armed with a gun, who is being restrained by others around him, has been circulating on social media. Those sharing the video claim that the video shows a 13-year-old Christian girl who was forced to marry a 40-year-old Muslim man in Pakistan.
Sharing the video, an X user wrote, “PAKISTAN: This is really heartbreaking. A 13-year-old orphan Christian girl was forced to marry a 40-year-old Muslim man, Mohammad Ishtiyaq. When she refused and tried to escape, he threatened her with a weapon. This reflects the grim reality faced by minorities in Pakistan.” (Archive)
A similar claim can be found here.
Fact Check
NewsMeter found that the claim is false, as the video is related to a domestic dispute between a married couple in Lahore, Pakistan.
A reverse image search of the video’s keyframe led us to the same footage posted by Imtiaz Chandio, who identified himself as a journalist, on September 11, 2023.
Chandio stated in the caption that the man, Khurram Shabbir, attempted to kill his wife with a gun during a domestic dispute. He also mentioned that Shabbir assaulted his daughter.
The Lahore police, in a post on X on September 11, 2023, also confirmed that a case had been registered against the culprit.
According to a report published by Express News of September 11, 203, Pakistan’s Punjab police arrested a man who pointed a Kalashnikov at his wife during a domestic dispute.
The report also stated that SHO Imran Khan said that a case was registered against the accused at the South Cantonment police station on the police’s own cognisance. He said that after registering the case, the police arrested the accused and initiated legal proceedings.
The incident was reported by several media outlets (links here and here) in Pakistan with the same details.
Therefore, we conclude that the video is old and does not show a minor being forced into marriage in Pakistan. The claim is false.
