Vani continues to haunt women
LAHORE, April 18 2006: Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has maintained that a ‘jirga’ verdict in village Bandyal, district Khushab, that two minor girls, whose brother eloped with a young woman, be handed over as ‘vani’ to the family of eloped woman shows the brutal custom remains deeply entrenched. According to a press release issued here on Monday, HRCP has already lamented over tribal jirgas decision, and the license given to them to punish persons in which the victims are female. The commission reiterated its stance that all such gatherings must be prevented, and always treated as illegal.
The HRCP welcomed the efforts of local police for arranging ‘divorce’ between the girls, 12-year-old Amna Bibi and eight-year-old Rehana Bibi, and their ‘husbands’.
The HRCP said it have received complaints that the father of the girls, Ghulam Muhammad, is being pressurised to abide by a clause in the ‘vani’ agreement which lays down that in case of any intervention from the government, the head of the jirga, Malik Muhammad Yar, will retain the power to hand over the girls to their ‘husbands’.
The Commission said the threat to the girls remains intact, despite the police intervention.
The HRCP demanded of the authorities to provide full protection to the girls and to take strict action against those who are trying to foil efforts of local police. LHC declines to stop black warrants Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif of the Lahore High Court Monday declined to stop black warrants of a murder convict Muhammad Arif, scheduled to be executed today in Central jail Gujranwala, on the plea that he was juvenile at the time of occurrence.
The LHC rejected his plea while observing that the matter had been decided by apex court and it was beyond its jurisdiction to adjudicate the matter at this point of juncture.
An anti-terrorism Court had awarded death sentence to Muhammad Arif on five counts for murdering 5 persons in 1997. The LHC and Supreme Court had also upheld his death sentence. The president of Pakistan dismissed his mercy petition as well. Muhammad Siddique, the father of the convict had filed a constitutional petition saying that Medical Superintendent DHQ Hospital Gujranwala had examined his son and held that he was minor at the time of incident.
SC upholds LHC verdict about teacher’s induction The Supreme Court of Pakistan Monday took a serious note of not inducting one Israr Ahmed in Education department for nine years in defiance to court’s order and strictly ordered the department concerned to appoint him as English teacher within 10 days. The bench comprising Justice Khalil ur Rehman Ramday and Justice Raja Fiaz Ahmad also directed the respondent department to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to Israr Ahmad of Bhakkar, who was struggling relentlessly for job over the years.
The court ordered this while dismissing the appeal of Education department against the orders of the Lahore High Court whereby the department was asked to appoint Israr Ahmad as English teacher on December 9, 2005. The court expressed displeasure over the non-compliance of the LHC’s order and admonished Secretary Education (Schools) Zahid Saeed and District Education Officer (DEO) Bhakkar, Hafiz Shehbaz, who were present in the court.
Source: The Nation
Date:4/18/2006
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