In Andar, bride price fixed at 300,000 afs

GHAZNI CITY (PAN-infested Andar district of southern Ghazni province have decided against underage marriage, fixing the bride price — known as vulvar in local parlance — at 300,000 afghanis ($5,500).

The decision came at a meeting attended by religious scholars, tribal elders and residents in the district late on Monday, one participant told Pajhwok Afghan News on Tuesday. Area people often denounce the high vulvar rate.

Maulvi Abdul Hakim, a tribal elder from the Sahib Khan village of the town, complained many boys and girls often grew old because of the prohibitively high bride price. “This rate is constantly rising despite the fact that this money is un-Islamic.”

Exacting vulvar is tantamount to robbing the groom, according to the elder, who urged residents to give up the practice. “From now on, no one reserves the right to charge more than 300,000 afghanis in bride price.”

Lavish spending on wedding also came up for discussion at the meeting, which decided not to allow excessive expenses. The participants warned violators of the decision of legal action, including cash fines.

One religious scholar, who attended the meeting, said they had decided against underage marriage and using girls as a dispute-settling mechanism. Marrying off a minor girl was an injustice that deserved outright condemnation, he observed.

Resident Bismillah, 36, said he was yet to get engaged. “Plain cruelty is ongoing out there. No one is ready to accept a vulvar less 2 or 1.5 million afghanis,” he complained, the practice forced youth to go abroad in search of money.

Mohammad Qasim Desiwal, the district’s administrative head, asked all people to respect the scholars’ decision, which was in public interest. He also warned against violations of the decision. Violators would be fined 250,000 afs.

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