SC orders arrest of Bijarani, 10 others in ‘Vani’ case | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

SC orders arrest of Bijarani, 10 others in ‘Vani’ case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered immediate arrest of PPP MNA Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani and 10 others, involved in offering five minor girls as compensation in a murder case, and adjourned the hearing till September 3.

A five-member bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza, Justice Fakir Muhammad Khokar and Justice M Javed Buttar, was hearing a suo moto case of five minor girls who were offered as compensation for a murder.

A Jirga, headed by Bijarani, had ended a decade-old feud between the two rival groups by offering five minors as compensation. The feud began in 1997, when Miandad Banglani was murdered in a shoot-out between Hafiz Qamaruddin and Ali Yar Banglani groups over Karo-Kari in village Kamal Magsi, District Kashmore.

After repeated failed attempts at conciliation between the warring groups, local elders decided to convene the Jirga. The Jirga decided that the Ali Yar group would offer five girls as compensation for the murder to Hafiz Qamaruddin group.

The Supreme Court took suo moto notice on a press report on June 28, 2006 and ordered registration of an FIR against 14 persons, including PPP MNA Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani. On Wednesday, District Police Officer (DPO), Kashmore District, Sindh, Ali Ahmed, appeared before the court and submitted that out of 14 persons, three including Hafiz Qamruddin, Yaar Ali and Rehmat Ullah had been arrested.

At this, the chief justice asked the DPO as to why he had failed to arrest the influential people. The chief justice asked, “Why the other 11 persons nominated in the FIR have not yet been arrested?” The DPO assured the court that the remaining persons would also be arrested soon.

Additional Advocate-General Masood Noorani also appeared before the court. Meanwhile, the bench directed the DPO to arrest the remaining 11 persons, including PPP MNA Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, and produce them before the court on September 3 and adjourned the hearing.

Waseem Shamsi adds from Sukkur: The Jirga was held in village Kamal Magsi on May 27, 2006, jointly chaired by Bijarani, Mian Abdul Khaliq, the Pir of Bharchoondi Sharif and Ghulam Akbar Banglani, the Thul Taluka Nazim.

The Jirga after hearing both the parties including, Ali Yar Banglani and Qamaruddin Banglani, had imposed a fine of Rs 735,000 and announced five girls in marriage as compensation. Following the Jirga, the Supreme Court had ordered an inquiry into the matter, after which an FIR No 38/2006 was registered with the Dera Sarki police station against 513 persons, including the 14 nominated.

Those nominated in the FIR were PPPP MNA Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Pir of Bharchoondi Sharif Mian Abdul Khaliq, Thul Taluka Nazim Ghulam Akbar Banglani, Dad Mohammad Nandvani, Ghulam Rasool Banglani, Hafiz Jalil Bijarani, Jalil Shah, Ghulam Rabbani Banglani, Yar Ali Banglani, Rehmatullah Banglani, Qamaruddin Banglani and others. The police had arrested Yar Ali Banglani, Rehmatullah Banglani and Qamaruddin Banglani, who are still in its custody.
Source: The News
Date:8/16/2007