In one of the most disturbing stories to hit the super highway for some time, a 12-year-old boy will marry his cousin, 11, after the boy’s Egyptian father announced the shock engagement and gave his blessing this weekend.
At his eldest son’s wedding, Nasser Hassan announced the engagement of the two schoolchildren, much to the delight of the extended Muslim families.
According to sources, the father’s blessing has caused outrage in Egypt where it is illegal to marry under the age of 18.
Hassan told Egypt’s Al Watan newspaper there was ‘nothing inappropriate’ about the coupling of Omar, 12 and Gharam, 11, adding it was only ‘an engagement’ and no wedding date had been imposed.
The wedding of the eldest brother was held 75 miles north of Cairo.
Photos of the young couple were met with outrage after being published in the local media and some people called child services as a result.
The boy’s father said he ‘is a free man and did nothing wrong’, and the couple will not marry until they are of legal age.
‘Omar has always loved Gharam so much that he used to say he will marry her when they grow up before any other man asks for her hand in marriage when she is older,’ he said.