ISLAMABAD: Even though the celebration of valentines day has been banned in the city by the court, it did not stop young people from finding love with a 100 per cent increase in elopements recorded during the year.



According to records of the federal police, of the 300 cases of kidnapping involving young girls registered at its 22 precincts, around of these 250 turned out to be cases where girls had willfully left their families to elope with their paramours.



This is up from 110 such cases registered in the federal capital in 2017.



The remaining 50 cases of kidnapping pertaining to girls, officials said, were of girls being coerced, blackmailed or threatened for turning down marriage proposals.



Some of these cases betrayed the involvement of police officers themselves and support for the suspects due to the reluctance of police officers to register these cases even days after complaints were lodged.



This granted suspects time and opportunity to present marriage contracts at the police station and absolve the police of any responsibility.



According to police sources, 99 per cent of girls who have been forcibly married after being kidnapped desists from proceeding with legal action in order to save face. Some compromise to save the reputation of their parents, sources said.



A senior police officer with around 37 years of experience in the federal police told The Express Tribune that the most common reason behind such cases was the ignorance of parents or the guardians regarding the activities of their children.



The police officer also blamed the permeation of mobile phones and social media for the rise in such marriages, noting that these devices help youngsters conceal their relationships from their parents.



“Since parents are not able to maintain a check and balance on their children due to their busy schedules or negligence, the children tend to keep their affairs private and matters only come to light when it is too late,” the officer said.



Published in The Express Tribune, December 31st, 2018.