Conflict resolution: Dispute over land sold to PML-F leader’s son settled

The Khuhros will pay Rs4 million for killing three and injuring five Rashdi men.

SUKKUR:

The bloody dispute between the Khuhros and Rashdis was resolved partially through a jirga, held at Circuit House on Thursday.

The jirga imposed a fine of Rs4 million on the Khuhro men for killing three and injuring five Rashdi men, while the verdict about the disputed land will be announced on July 31.

The Khuhros and Rashdis of Khairpur have been at war for some time over the possession of 3,500 acres in Deh Aburi in Keti Khuhro in Gambat taluka. According to sources, the land in question belonged to former federal minister Pasha Khuhro, and was inherited by his five sons.

When the politician’s son, Tariq Khuhro, died, his widow Rasheeda Khuhro attempted to usurp the entire land by deploying armed men at the site, sparking a dispute in the family. Sources claim that Asad Khuhro, the brother of the deceased, tried to resolve the matter but failed. Meanwhile, Rasheeda fraudulently sold the land to Pir Pagara’s son Pir Sibghatullah Shah Rashdi, alias Raja Saen, instigating enmity between the two influential families.

According to sources, Raja Saen recently sent his men to level the disputed agricultural land. However, while his men were busy following their boss’s orders, armed Khuhros interrupted them. The two sides engaged in a heated debate and subsequently exchanged fire, killing three and injuring five Rashdi men. The insiders added that Pir Pagara was forced to intervene and request both parties to hold a jirga to resolve the matter amicably.

Former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali presided over the jirga. The Pir of Bharchoondi Sharif Mian Abdul Khaliq, alias Mian Mitho, acted as the adviser for Raja Saen while Sardar Khan Chandio played the role of Asad Khuhro’s adviser.

The tribunal started its proceedings on Thursday morning and continued till the evening. The jirga members heard arguments of all the parties involved at length, after which the president and advisers of the jirga engaged in discussions before finally announcing the verdict.

According to the tribunal’s judgement, the Khuhros were found guilty of killing three and injuring five Rashdis, and thus a fine of Rs4 million was imposed on them. Out of this sum, three million rupees each was fixed for the murders and Rs200,000 was fixed for each injured person. Since the complete revenue record for the disputed land was not available, the jirga announced that it would give a verdict on the ownership on July 31.

More than 2,000 supporters of Rashdis and Khuhros, including hundreds of heavily armed men, attended the tribunal’s verdict. Top ranking policemen, including DIG Zafar Abbas Bukhari and SSP Aitzaz Goraya, were also present at Circuit House to witness the tribunal’s judgement.

The road leading to the premises was clogged because of countless parked vehicles of the two clans, policemen and Rangers.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 15^th, 2011.