Vani, also known as “swara“, is a centuries-old custom prevalent in some tribal and rural areas of Pakistan. This practice exists under the garb of tradition, but at its core, it is a violation of human rights. Through the custom of vani, women, especially young girls and minors, are used in order to settle disputes between tribes or families. The female from the aggressor family is married off or given in servitude to a man of the aggrieved family. This temporarily or permanently puts an end to the conflicts, typically involving murder, kidnapping, sexual misconduct, and others. Swara has been under criticism for years now; however, the custom is still being followed, continuing the explicit robbery of the rights and future of many girls.

Origin and Cultural Context

“Vani” (derived from the word “vanay”, meaning “blood”) and “swara” (meaning “female rider”) refer to the practices tied to resolving the blood feuds and disputes among the tribes or clans. This traditional practice persists in some parts of the provinces of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and other tribal or rural areas. Called by diverse names, such as Sangchatti, Ijai, Sak, and Badl-i-Sulh, this custom allows for the resolution of conflicts by providing the girl(s) in compensation for the crime often committed by the male members of their families. It is rooted in the tribal codes, whereby the jirga (local informal court system) decides on such compensation to prevent further bloodshed.

The practice emerged some 400 years ago when two Pathan tribes of Mianwali engaged in a bloody conflict against each other. After the loss of around 800 lives, the jirga convened by the Nawab of Tank decided that giving girls as qisas (retribution) would end the conflict by establishing ties between the tribes. This decision set a precedent for future generations to follow, without thinking much of the un-Islamic, inhumane, and illegal foundations of the practice.

How Vani and Swara Work

The mechanics of this custom are horrifyingly straightforward. When a crime, such as murder, sexual assault, or abduction, is committed by any male member of a tribe or family against the other party, a jirga of influential people of the tribe is convened to mediate. If and when decided, the offending family is required to offer a female member, often a young girl or even a minor, to the aggrieved family as compensation for the crime. The girl is forcibly married to a male member (even an old man in many cases) of the rival family without her consent to “restore honour” or settle the dispute.

In some cases, the aggressor family is required to present multiple girls as and when demanded. The decision is binding, though not legally, but it is enforced through social and tribal pressure. In........

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