Teen Runs Away To Avoid Arranged Marriage

According to Fox News, over a month ago, 16-year-old Zaineb Chaudhary ran away from home after her father arranged a marriage for her with a man in Pakistan. Police say the girl's father went to Pakistan in October to set up the marriage. The last time anyone saw her was March 11 at her high school.

Police say the missing girl met a 39-year-old man in El Monte. They met on a social network where she said she was 19. El Monte police interviewed the man, who claims he hasn't seen her.

Her sister spoke out during a press conference saying the family just wants to know if she is safe and where she is. She added that her sister doesn't need to worry about the family hurting her which raised more questions.

It is normal in Pakistani culture for the father to arrange marriages for their daughters as young as 16 years and is considered a "honor crime" to back out of one. In Pakistan, the general punishment for committing a "honor crime" is death. According to Fox News, since 1998 there have been 4,000 killings across Pakistan for women refusing an arranged marriage.


Police say if Chaudhary is afraid for her safety from her family, she can come to the police where they can put her in protective custody. A girl raised in the United States but raised by a culture her parents grew up in can cause conflict with Pakistani-Americans.



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