Marriages that take place in the area are arranged. Mates or spouses are always selected by parents, both for men and women. Vulvar (bride price) is commonly paid to the bride’s family and is determined by many factors including:

Comparatively, the price of vulvar is very high in Tehsil Chaman; ranging from Rs.100,000 to Rs.400,000. Despite this, early marriages (both for boys and girls) take place. Moreover, polygamy among the rich is common practice. They either marry for pleasure or to ensure a male child. Sometimes it is customary and mandatory for a widow to marry the brother or a cousin of the deceased husband. The system of exchange of brides is common among the tribes. This is known as ‘Sarai’ in Pashto. Nowadays vulvar is paid back by the majority of the people in the form of a dowry. However, the poor people retain a major part of it for their day to day requirement. Vulvar may seem a social evil and therefore undesirable. But it should be remembered that vulvar is an incentive for men to be active earning family members.

Divorce is negligible because it is socially highly undesirable. The penalty of adultery is death.

The role of the women in the decision making process is negligible. However, in the case of marriages their opinion is sometimes taken into account. They are also authorized to make decisions pertaining to domestic activities.

The inhabitants of the district are Muslims. Yet the majority does not acknowledge the inherited share to women, as it is stated in the Islamic inheritance laws. However, they are not totally ignored by the family and when they are in dire need, they are helped by the family.