Pakistan

Karo-Kari?: 70-year-old accused of having affair with teenager

Hanifan has denied the allegations levelled by her husband.

Asad Pitafi December 06, 2012

GHOTKI:

The absurdity of some allegations knows no bounds.

While Karo-Kari charges are almost always reserved for victimising young men and women, a case in Behram Pitafi village, Sindh, provided a startling departure from convention.

Here, a 70-year-old woman has been declared ‘Kari’ for allegedly being involved in an affair with her 17-year-old relative. The elderly woman, who can barely even walk without support, has denied the allegations levelled by her husband. Hanifan’s husband, Bashir Ahmed, had claimed that she was involved with her niece’s son, Rashid.

She, however, approached the Pitafi tribe sardar and Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Ahmed Ali Pitafi to provide her protection and justice.

Hanifan said Ahmed was in debt and had asked Rashid’s parents to pay Rs400,000 or else he would kill their only son. After being declared as ‘Karo’, Rashid moved with his family to an undisclosed location.

Ali Pitafi assured Hanifan that justice would be provided to her.

Ahmed, along with his brother, Hazoor Bux, and cousin, Luqman, declared Hanifan as Kari on Tuesday, after which they tortured her and eventually threw her out of the house.

According to sources, Ahmed got married for the second time a few months ago, and asked Hanifan’s brothers to take her back. On top of it all, he also asked the brothers to repay him the Rs20,000 he spent on their wedding.

Following reports of the incident in local newspapers, police officials visited the village and found the reports to be true.

Hanifan registered a case against her husband and his two companions on Thursday. However, no arrests have been made so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 7^th, 2012.

COMMENTS (10)

Asad Pitafi | 11 years ago | Reply This is the worst example of barbarism in the village behram pitafi where a husband Basheer pitafi after doing second marriage, intended to kill his first wife who spent 20 years of life with him, the main aspect of killing her to accammulate the money, thus he blamed her wife as a "KAARI" which is known as the black law backed by the fuedals in the sindh province. The shameless thing is that her husband blamen his wife 70 years old with her grandson 16 years Rashid Pitafi, now a days the lives of both grand mother and granson are on the highly risked, police has not taken any action against the 4 nominated accused. This is the alarming situation, when an old woman and a young boy are crying to save for their lives but none is here to hear, niether political parties nor social organisation. Kindly share more and more your voice against this barbarism.

NAWAZ | 11 years ago | Reply

Jiye sindh how wise these people! only know how to oppose national interest