Third try: Jirga helps Jatois and Miranis bury the Kalashnikov
Hoping that the third try would prove to be the lucky one, another jirga was held to resolve the bloody feud.
SUKKUR:
Hoping that the third try would prove to be the lucky one, another jirga was held to resolve the bloody feud between the Jatois and Miranis of Bachal Shah Miani, Sukkur.
The third consecutive jirga was held at the residence of Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Islamuddin Sheikh on Sunday night. Men from both clans were fined Rs800,000 each for killing two persons of the rival clan.
The meeting was jointly chaired by Sindh Livestock Minister Abid Hussain Jatoi, former DIG police Sain Rakhio Mirani, Haji Yar Mohammad Ghumro and Sobdar Jatoi. Ali Gul Mirani represented the Miranis, while the Jatois were represented by Gul Hassan Jatoi. Other family members also attended.
Dozens of Mirani and Jatoi clansmen recorded their statements before the jirga. After hearing both sides, the council deliberated privately for around two hours and then announced its verdict. According to the decision, which was read out by Karim Bux Badani, the Miranis were guilty of killing two Jatoi clansmen, Raja and Mukhtar. Meanwhile, the Jatoi men were accused of murdering two Miranis, Sikandar and Shaukat. The jirga fixed a fine of Rs400,000 for each murder while the matter of two men who were slightly injured in a clash was waived.
The money was to be given to the victims’ families. The jirga also imposed a fine of Rs1 million on the Miranis for resorting to aggression in violation of the previous council orders. They had restarted the feud so they had to pay the money in two equal installments in two months. However, the livestock minister intervened and decided to halve the fine.
Sukkur DPO Aitizaz Goraya, whose office and residence is just a few metres away from Sukkur House where the jirga was held, told The Express Tribune that jirgas which attempt to end tribal clashes do not have a legal standing. The police cannot just dismiss the FIRs of murders on the basis of these jirga verdicts, he said, adding that they were politically motivated. “It is good to end a bloody feud but the accused from any clan involved in a murder must face the consequences in court.”
Aitizaz said that jirgas which dealt with karo-kari cases and in which girls were given in exchange are absolutely illegal. “They are banned and if such a council is held, the police must take action.”
Dispute background
The fight started over an alleged theft in Bachal Shah Miani in 2005. Since then, 16 people from both clans have died while more than two dozen have been injured. In 2007, a jirga was held under former minister Mir Manzoor Panhwar and the feud was resolved amicably. But peace proved to be short-lived and just six months later, a dispute over a young boy compelled both clans to take their guns out again.
These regular fights had ruined everyday life in not just Bachal Shah Miani but all adjoining areas. Residents could not even think of stepping into the rival clan’s area. Sandbags and trenches were set up on both sides and men were on guard around the clock.
Then, around eight months ago, another jirga was held under the leadership of Panhwar. This time it was the Mirani men who violated the jirga decision and killed a man from the Jatoi clan. The fight flared up once again and at least four men were killed while two were injured.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2011.
Hoping that the third try would prove to be the lucky one, another jirga was held to resolve the bloody feud between the Jatois and Miranis of Bachal Shah Miani, Sukkur.
The third consecutive jirga was held at the residence of Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Islamuddin Sheikh on Sunday night. Men from both clans were fined Rs800,000 each for killing two persons of the rival clan.
The meeting was jointly chaired by Sindh Livestock Minister Abid Hussain Jatoi, former DIG police Sain Rakhio Mirani, Haji Yar Mohammad Ghumro and Sobdar Jatoi. Ali Gul Mirani represented the Miranis, while the Jatois were represented by Gul Hassan Jatoi. Other family members also attended.
Dozens of Mirani and Jatoi clansmen recorded their statements before the jirga. After hearing both sides, the council deliberated privately for around two hours and then announced its verdict. According to the decision, which was read out by Karim Bux Badani, the Miranis were guilty of killing two Jatoi clansmen, Raja and Mukhtar. Meanwhile, the Jatoi men were accused of murdering two Miranis, Sikandar and Shaukat. The jirga fixed a fine of Rs400,000 for each murder while the matter of two men who were slightly injured in a clash was waived.
The money was to be given to the victims’ families. The jirga also imposed a fine of Rs1 million on the Miranis for resorting to aggression in violation of the previous council orders. They had restarted the feud so they had to pay the money in two equal installments in two months. However, the livestock minister intervened and decided to halve the fine.
Sukkur DPO Aitizaz Goraya, whose office and residence is just a few metres away from Sukkur House where the jirga was held, told The Express Tribune that jirgas which attempt to end tribal clashes do not have a legal standing. The police cannot just dismiss the FIRs of murders on the basis of these jirga verdicts, he said, adding that they were politically motivated. “It is good to end a bloody feud but the accused from any clan involved in a murder must face the consequences in court.”
Aitizaz said that jirgas which dealt with karo-kari cases and in which girls were given in exchange are absolutely illegal. “They are banned and if such a council is held, the police must take action.”
Dispute background
The fight started over an alleged theft in Bachal Shah Miani in 2005. Since then, 16 people from both clans have died while more than two dozen have been injured. In 2007, a jirga was held under former minister Mir Manzoor Panhwar and the feud was resolved amicably. But peace proved to be short-lived and just six months later, a dispute over a young boy compelled both clans to take their guns out again.
These regular fights had ruined everyday life in not just Bachal Shah Miani but all adjoining areas. Residents could not even think of stepping into the rival clan’s area. Sandbags and trenches were set up on both sides and men were on guard around the clock.
Then, around eight months ago, another jirga was held under the leadership of Panhwar. This time it was the Mirani men who violated the jirga decision and killed a man from the Jatoi clan. The fight flared up once again and at least four men were killed while two were injured.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2011.