No Cases of Girls Claimed via Gunfire Reported in Khost This Solar Year: Police

KHOST CITY, Afghanistan -- Police in southeastern Khost province reported no cases of girls being forcibly claimed through gunfire during the current solar year 1404.

Police spokesman Tahir Ahrar said no such incidents involving violence against women had been registered in the province over the past year. He noted that strict measures have been taken against individuals attempting such claims following the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Ahrar stated that 11 such cases were recorded during solar years 1402 and 1403, most of which were resolved through tribal mediation, with the girls freed from the claims. He added that the incidents occurred before the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate but police took action after families filed complaints.

The practice involves young men firing gunshots near a girl's home to signal a claim on her without consent, often after a rejected marriage proposal. This can damage the girl's reputation and deter other suitors due to fears of hostility.

Mufti Sakhiullah, head of the dispute resolution commission at the Vice and Virtue and Complaints Department, condemned the practice as oppression and coercion, stating it is unlawful under Sharia and leads to societal corruption. He emphasized that marriage requires consent of both parties and that the Islamic Emirate will not allow such acts.

Tribal elder Toryalai Mangal said the custom has persisted in Pashtun society, often by powerful individuals, but elders condemn it as illegitimate. He noted that no girl claimed this way has married the claimant and warned of potential long-term family disputes.

Social activist Noora Jan Bahir called the act a violation of women's rights, urging public awareness campaigns, education by religious scholars on Islamic marriage principles, stronger law enforcement, and cooperation among elders, scholars, security forces, and media to eradicate the harmful custom.