Jirga offers to pay debt of rape victim’s father
Local activists hold protest against the village assembly reportedly held last week
Activists of local NGOs holding a demonstration outside Umerkot Press Club and demanding justice for the rape victim. PHOTO: ONLINE
SUKKUR/HYDERABAD/UMERKOT:
Members of a Jirga in Sindh’s Umerkot district tried to settle a rape case last week by offering to waive off the debt run up by the victim’s father and doling out 30 kilograms of wheat.
While the police and the alleged organisers of the Jirga denied that the meeting ever took place, members of the affected family said they would not accept any such settlement.
Ex-Afghan MP accused of raping dancer in Peshawar
"We don't accept the decision of any Jirga," said Suleman Shaikh, father of 14-year-old R* who was allegedly subjected to rape on March 20 at Saindad Mangrio village in the Ghulam Nabi Shah area of Umerkot.
"They abducted my daughter from my house, raped her and threw her close to our village in the late hours," said Shaikh, a peasant.
According to some local journalists, Hassan Rajar, an influential personality associated with the PPP, and another member of the Rajar community chaired the Jirga. During the Jirga proceedings Rs130,000 owed by the victim’s father were offered to be waived in return for the withdrawal of the case.
Police and concerned members of the Rajar community have denied holding any such gathering while *R’s family is also reluctant to divulge any details. However, activists of local NGOs on Saturday held a demonstration outside Umerkot Press Club, demanding action against organisers of the Jirga.
Ghulam Nabi Shah police station SHO Arif Bhatti denied having any information about the Jirga and said the suspect, Mushtaq Mangrio, was arrested soon after the incident and he was presented before the district and sessions court which sent him to jail on judicial remand.
"We have arrested the suspect and lodged an FIR on the family's complaint. The charge sheet has also been submitted in the court today," he said. The SSP Umerkot Rukhsar Khawar also said the medical test of both the victim and suspect had been done and a report was being awaited.
Rape victim’s family reaches ‘compromise’ with culprit
Girl killed on wedding night
Meanwhile, Jacobabad police have not been able to arrest a newlywed groom who allegedly murdered his bride on their wedding night.
K*, the daughter of Lal Mohammad Lashari, married her cousin Qalandar Bux Khokhar on Thursday. The bride’s mother found her strangulated in her husband’s house, when she went to visit her daughter the next morning.
Later, the bride’s brothers lodged an FIR against the groom and his family.
According to a Jacobabad-based reporter, there were rumours that Qalandar Bux had killed his bride on suspicion that she wasn’t a virgin. There were also reports that the husband and wife had an altercation before the incident due to an unusual delay in the Rukhsati.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 3rd, 2016.
Members of a Jirga in Sindh’s Umerkot district tried to settle a rape case last week by offering to waive off the debt run up by the victim’s father and doling out 30 kilograms of wheat.
While the police and the alleged organisers of the Jirga denied that the meeting ever took place, members of the affected family said they would not accept any such settlement.
Ex-Afghan MP accused of raping dancer in Peshawar
"We don't accept the decision of any Jirga," said Suleman Shaikh, father of 14-year-old R* who was allegedly subjected to rape on March 20 at Saindad Mangrio village in the Ghulam Nabi Shah area of Umerkot.
"They abducted my daughter from my house, raped her and threw her close to our village in the late hours," said Shaikh, a peasant.
According to some local journalists, Hassan Rajar, an influential personality associated with the PPP, and another member of the Rajar community chaired the Jirga. During the Jirga proceedings Rs130,000 owed by the victim’s father were offered to be waived in return for the withdrawal of the case.
Police and concerned members of the Rajar community have denied holding any such gathering while *R’s family is also reluctant to divulge any details. However, activists of local NGOs on Saturday held a demonstration outside Umerkot Press Club, demanding action against organisers of the Jirga.
Ghulam Nabi Shah police station SHO Arif Bhatti denied having any information about the Jirga and said the suspect, Mushtaq Mangrio, was arrested soon after the incident and he was presented before the district and sessions court which sent him to jail on judicial remand.
"We have arrested the suspect and lodged an FIR on the family's complaint. The charge sheet has also been submitted in the court today," he said. The SSP Umerkot Rukhsar Khawar also said the medical test of both the victim and suspect had been done and a report was being awaited.
Rape victim’s family reaches ‘compromise’ with culprit
Girl killed on wedding night
Meanwhile, Jacobabad police have not been able to arrest a newlywed groom who allegedly murdered his bride on their wedding night.
K*, the daughter of Lal Mohammad Lashari, married her cousin Qalandar Bux Khokhar on Thursday. The bride’s mother found her strangulated in her husband’s house, when she went to visit her daughter the next morning.
Later, the bride’s brothers lodged an FIR against the groom and his family.
According to a Jacobabad-based reporter, there were rumours that Qalandar Bux had killed his bride on suspicion that she wasn’t a virgin. There were also reports that the husband and wife had an altercation before the incident due to an unusual delay in the Rukhsati.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 3rd, 2016.