Legal Help · Published January 31, 2026
Women's Rights in Wani and Swara Cases
Vani and Swara are still sometimes described as "settling a matter the old way." Under Pakistani law, they're a specific criminal offence — here's what the statute actually says.
Quick answer
Vani and Swara — giving a woman in marriage to settle a dispute — are criminalised under Section 310-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, added by the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Act 2011. Punishment is three to seven years' imprisonment and a fine. No jirga or panchayat decision overrides this, and the crime doesn't disappear just because the marriage went ahead.
What the law actually says
What Vani and Swara actually are
Both are customary practices where a girl or woman is given in marriage — often to a rival family — to settle a civil dispute or resolve criminal liability (such as a murder or feud), effectively using her marriage as compensation rather than treating her as a party with her own consent.
Section 310-A PPC makes this a specific crime
Added by the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Act 2011, Section 310-A of the Pakistan Penal Code criminalises giving a female in marriage, or compelling her into one, as badal-i-sulh, Vani, Swara, or any similar custom used to settle a dispute — punishable by three to seven years' imprisonment and a fine of up to five hundred thousand rupees.
The marriage itself doesn't erase the crime
Even where a Vani or Swara marriage has already taken place, the underlying act of compelling it remains a prosecutable offence — going through with the marriage isn't a legal defence to having arranged it this way.
Jirga or panchayat 'approval' has no legal weight
A decision reached by an informal jirga or panchayat to resolve a dispute through Vani or Swara doesn't override the criminal law — those bodies have no authority to sanction what Section 310-A specifically prohibits, and participants can themselves face liability.
Why this needed a dedicated criminal provision
Before the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Act 2011 added Section 310-A, prosecuting Vani and Swara relied on general provisions that weren't written with this specific harm in mind — treating a woman's marriage as compensation for someone else's dispute. The 2011 Act named the practice directly and attached a mandatory minimum sentence, which matters because it removes the option of an unusually lenient outcome for what courts and legislators have recognised as a serious violation of a woman's autonomy.
The same Act also addressed related practices — forced marriage generally, and marriage to the Quran as a means of preventing a woman from inheriting or remarrying — reflecting a broader legislative recognition that customary "resolutions" of disputes were, in several specific and recurring forms, actually crimes against the women used to resolve them.
What Wakeel.org can help with
Explaining the relevant law and what reporting it generally involves, in plain English or Urdu.
What it cannot do
It cannot file a report, intervene directly, or represent anyone — for anything urgent, contact the police or a lawyer immediately.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vani or Swara legal in Pakistan?
No — both are specifically criminalised under Section 310-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, added by the Prevention of Anti-Women Practices Act 2011. Giving or compelling a woman into marriage to settle a civil or criminal dispute carries three to seven years' imprisonment and a fine.
Can a jirga or panchayat legally order Vani or Swara?
No informal body has legal authority to sanction it. A jirga or panchayat decision doesn't override Section 310-A PPC, and those involved in arranging or compelling such a marriage can face criminal liability regardless of any informal 'approval.'
What can a woman do if she's being forced into a Vani or Swara marriage?
This is a criminal matter — reporting it to the police so an FIR can be registered under Section 310-A PPC is the appropriate first step, alongside seeking help from a lawyer or a women's rights organisation as quickly as possible given the urgency involved.
Does marrying under Vani or Swara invalidate the marriage itself?
This is a genuinely complex legal question distinct from the criminal liability question, and can depend on the specific facts — including whether free consent was ever validly given. It's worth discussing directly with a lawyer rather than assuming either way.
Can Wakeel.org help in a Vani or Swara situation?
Wakeel.org can explain the relevant law and what reporting it generally involves, in plain English or Urdu. It cannot file a report, intervene directly, or represent anyone — for anything urgent, contact the police or a lawyer immediately.
General educational information, not legal advice. See our full disclaimer.
Facing a Vani or Swara situation?
This needs urgent, real-world help — contact the police or a lawyer immediately. Wakeel can help you understand the legal position while you do.