Tribal fight: Family of missing girl go on hunger strike

Family demands missing girl's safe return from tribe chieftain.

UBAURO:

The family of 17-year-old Safia Solangi went on hunger strike in the scorching heat on Saturday, to demand her safe return from their tribe’s chieftain.

Safia’s father Muhammad Murad and other family members hailing from Sher Muhammad Solangi village set up their hunger strike camp in Ubauro.

According to Murad, Safia married Abdul Shakoor Malik at a court on her own will nearly four months ago. Since Sardar Akram Solangi was the tribe’s chief, he put pressure on the Maliks and managed to get her back. He also charged them Rs70,000, the father said.

After he forced Abdul Shakoor to sign the divorce papers, he put Safia in his confinement and told the family that she was in his “protective custody”. Murad complained to the Ubauro police but they refused to register a complaint against the tribal chief. The family hopes that the chief minister, prime minister or the chief justice of Pakistan will help them rescue the girl.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 9^th, 2013.