Love-marriage couple alleges police abuse

A couple who entered into a love marriage has allegedly fallen victim to police excesses, with claims of coercion, unlawful detention and mistreatment surfacing six months after their court marriage. A theft case was registered at Waris Khan Police Station in Rawalpindi on the application of the groom's father, leading to the groom's arrest within 24 hours of the bride's formal departure (rukhsati). The couple allege that police officials repeatedly pressured them to seek a divorce, while private individuals were permitted to assault the groom at the police station. The affected couple has appealed to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for justice. Muhammad Usman, 23, a resident of Amarpura, contracted a court marriage with 20-year-old Maimoona on September 17 last year. The couple stated that following the nikah, the bride's family reconciled to the marriage; however, the groom's father remained opposed. The bride's rukhsati took place on March 29, 2026. They allege that despite the marriage having taken place six months earlier, Waris Khan Police registered a theft case on March 16, 2026. Initially filed against unidentified persons on the complaint of the groom's father, Muhammad Ramzan, the case was later amended to nominate his two sons, Farhan and Usman, as well as his daughter-in-law, Maimoona. Speaking to The Express Tribune, the couple alleged that the investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Iftikhar, included the bride's salami (customary gift money) as "recovered" property in the case. The groom was placed on an eight-day physical remand, during which he claims he was subjected to violence at the police station by private persons, allegedly with police acquiescence. He further alleged that during remand, the investigating officer exerted severe pressure, including physical coercion, to force him to divorce his wife. The bride stated that she was made to remain at the police station until 2am without the presence of female police personnel, and that both were subjected to intense pressure to separate. The couple also alleged that police personnel carried out mistreatment in the presence of the groom's father. A local court granted bail to the groom on April 18, while the bride had already secured interim bail. Responding to the allegations, Sub-Inspector Iftikhar maintained that recoveries, including jewellery, had been made from the bride, and that the complainant had identified the items.