Inquiry to decide minor ‘wives’ fate | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Inquiry to decide minor ‘wives’ fate

SHIKARPUR, July 9: Two Ameens (organisers)of a Jirga, Rano Shar and Qalandar Bux Shar, and two daughters of Arbab Shar, eleven-year-old Waziran and nine-year-old Noorjehan, victims of the Jirga decision, were taken into police custody in Dakhan on orders of Shikarpur DPO Khadim Rind on Wednesday.

Dakhan police have started the investigation into the holding of the illegal jirga and statements of people involved have been recorded.

Reports said that some influential people were using their influence to withdraw the case of illegal jirga.

In another illegal jirga case involving a minor girl, SPO Anwar Gopang was conducting an inquiry into the holding of the jirga at village Rehan Shar in the jurisdiction of Chak police station.Two separate jirgas were recently held in the limits of Dakhan and Chak police stations in which three minor girls were married off to overage men in compensation.

According to the details, eleven-year-old Waziran and nine-year-old Noorjehan, daughters of Arbab Shar, resident of near Garhi Sahib Khan in the jurisdiction of Dakhan police station, were married off to two overage men of Gulzar Shar’s family as decided in a Jirga organised by some bigwigs of the area to settle a karo-kari case.

In the jirga it was ‘proved’ that the accused, Asad Shar, the brother of Arbab Shar, had ‘illicit relations’ with the daughter of Gulzar Shar’s brother and Gulzar murdered his niece on pretext of karo-kari a month ago.

According to the decision of jirga, Asad Shar was asked to give two females of his family in marriage in compensation.

Responding to the Jirga’s decision, Asad Shar married off Waziran and Noorjehan, daughters of his brother Arbab Shar, to two men belonging to Gulzar Shar family.

In the other similar case, the jirga led by Syed Shaman Shah was held at village Rehan Shar in the jurisdiction of Chak police station to settle a karo-kari case.

According to the decision of the jirga, five-year-old girl Kamul, belonging to Saidal Shar family, was given in ‘Nikah’ to a man belonging to Baloo Shar family in compensation.

Saidal Shar, reports said, had ‘relations’ with the wife of Baloo Shar.

And when Baloo Shar became aware of it, he killed his wife on pretext of karo-kari.

According to the jirga’s decision the accused, Saidal Shar, will also pay Rs70,000 to Baloo Shar in fine for a child as the deceased woman was pregnant, and Rs30,000 for police expenses.
Source: Dawn
Date:7/10/2008