Hyderabadi Kazis censure 'Sheikh marriage racket

Hyderabad (Telangana) [India] Sept 24 (ANI): Kazis here have denounced the practice of marriages of minor girls to Sheikhs.

Original Kazis never support child bride rackets, said a renowned Kazi on Sunday.

His comments came after Hyderabad Police busted a major 'sheikh' marriage racket wherein men from Arab nations were marrying minor girls in Hyderabad and later pushed them into human trafficking.

Twenty people, including five Omani nationals, three Qatar nationals and 13 Indians have been taken into custody. The arrested Indians include three Kazis, brokers, and lodge owners.

The police made the arrests in an investigation of the incident where a 16-year old girl who was married to an Omani sheikh in May.

Speaking to ANI, Kazi Md Khader Ali, said, "The incidents which are happening are illegal and anti to the Shariya, the Kazis, who are arrested, are not original Kazis; the original Kazi would never support the child bride rackets"

He further blamed the provisions of the contract marriage for spoiling the lives of poor women

"The contract marriages have started after the government passed an order in 1990's, and because of the contract marriages, lives of many poor women's are being spoiled and we are getting blamed. This should be stopped, the Government should organise a meeting with all Kazis and should make a law and it shouldn't be anti-Sharia," he said.

Kazis are appointed under the Kazis Act 1880. The Government of Andhra Pradesh through its orders in G.O.Ms.No.757, dated 18.8.1990, has permitted Kazis to perform the marriages of Arabs also.

Moulana Ali Pasha Quadri, speaking to ANI said, "The Kazis who are caught red handed and arrested should be suspended from the services and they should not be allowed to perform marriages again. Because of these kinds of people, Islam community is getting bad name, I request government and police to suspend them from their services."(ANI)