New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS): An Afghan father who has been forced to sell his nine-year-old daughter to a 55-year-old man as a child bride so he can buy food has pleaded for his child's new husband not to beat her, Daily Mail reported.

Parwana Malik, nine, is being sold by her parents to a stranger who the youngster describes as an 'old man' due to his white beard and eyebrows.

On the day Parwana was taken away by her 55-year-old buyer, Qorban, her weeping father, Abdul Malik, pleaded for him to not hurt his child, reports CNN.

Abdul, who is 'broken' with guilt, broke down in tears as he told Qorban: "This is your bride. Please take care of her. You are responsible now, please don't beat her."

Parwana's family said they had no choice, and are among scores of destitute families who being forced to sell their young daughters into marriage to survive, as Afghanistan plunges further into a humanitarian crisis, the report said.

One girl, aged 10, spends her days crying as she waits for the day she is sold to a 70-year-old man to help her family pay off their debts.

Another nine-member family is preparing to sell their four-year-old and nine-year-old daughters to have enough money for food, the report said.