Jirga decision: Jalbanis settle two murders for Rs3.8m

SUKKUR:

A jirga near Mirpur Mathelo late Saturday night has fined a family Rs3.8 million for tit-for-tat murders dating to 2000.

Eleven years ago, an employee and labour leader of Liberty Power Plant, Ranjhan Khan Jalbani, and his brother Abdul Hameed Jalbani were killed by unidentified armed men. The police case was registered against six men, including, Mohammad Hayat Bhayo, Punhal Bhayo, Shafqat Qazi. But all of them were proved innocent during investigations, conducted by the police and tribal elders.

Later, however, the victims’ relatives killed their cousin Saboo Jalbani for they thought he was involved in the initial murders. His son, Riaz Ahmed, lodged an FIR against five men: Ali Mohammad Jalbani, Atta Mohammad Jalbani, Ameer Bux Jalbani, Shabbir Ahmed Jalbani and Mumtaz Jalbani. The police arrested them and challaned them in court.

A few months ago, the additional sessions judge of Ghotki awarded three of them (Ali Mohammad, Shabbir Ahmed and Mumtaz) 28 years in prison.

After nearly a decade of fighting, then, both parties consented to resolving the matter in a jirga.

The gathering was headed by landlord Abdul Rab Pitafi, who is the younger brother of MPA Sardar Ahmed Ali Pitafi, and it was held in Sahib Khan Jalbani village. Both of the aggrieved families and a large number of clansmen attended.

After hearing both parties at length, the jirga declared the deceased Saboo Jalbani innocent and fined the family of deceased Ranjhan Khan Jalbani Rs500,000. Besides this, the jirga also fined them Rs3.3 million for destroying the houses of Saboo Jalbani and his brothers with the help of the police.

The verdict was accepted and the relatives of Ranjhan Khan Jalbani paid Rs100,000 on the spot and promised to pay the remaining Rs3.7 million in eight months.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2012.