Parallel courts: SHC orders police to arrest a tribal chieftain
The bench also sent a man, Tariq Ali, who had received Rs150,000 awarded by the jirga to jail.
The local tribal head, Azam Magsi, held a jirga to settle the dispute. The jirga ordered Hussain to pay a fine of Rs150,000 to Tariq Ali, Shahida’s brother. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
KARACHI:
The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered the arrest of a tribal chieftain on Friday, who had allegedly conducted an illegal jirga to settle a freewill marriage dispute in Sukkur.
Headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, the bench also sent a man, Tariq Ali, who had received Rs150,000 awarded by the jirga to jail.
The petitioner, Shahida, told the court that being an adult, she had married Saddam Hussain of her own free will in Sukkur on September 12, 2012. Her family, however, did not accept the marriage. The local tribal head, Azam Magsi, held a jirga to settle the dispute. The jirga ordered Hussain to pay a fine of Rs150,000 to Tariq Ali, Shahida’s brother. “He has received Rs150,000 so far and is demanding another Rs200,000 which is illegal and unjust,” she complained to the judges. She also alleged that instead of providing protection to the couple, the Sukkur police were supporting those who held the jirga. She pleaded the court to order the police to provide them protection and to take action against the people who organised the illegal jirga.
Tariq Ali, who was present in the court, admitted that he received Rs 150,000 and said he could return it as he had already spent it. Taking serious notice of his admission, the judges sent him to jail.
Additionally, the bench directed SSP Sukkur and the relevant SHO to arrest Azam Magsi and present him before the court on May 22.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 18th, 2013.
The Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered the arrest of a tribal chieftain on Friday, who had allegedly conducted an illegal jirga to settle a freewill marriage dispute in Sukkur.
Headed by Justice Sajjad Ali Shah, the bench also sent a man, Tariq Ali, who had received Rs150,000 awarded by the jirga to jail.
The petitioner, Shahida, told the court that being an adult, she had married Saddam Hussain of her own free will in Sukkur on September 12, 2012. Her family, however, did not accept the marriage. The local tribal head, Azam Magsi, held a jirga to settle the dispute. The jirga ordered Hussain to pay a fine of Rs150,000 to Tariq Ali, Shahida’s brother. “He has received Rs150,000 so far and is demanding another Rs200,000 which is illegal and unjust,” she complained to the judges. She also alleged that instead of providing protection to the couple, the Sukkur police were supporting those who held the jirga. She pleaded the court to order the police to provide them protection and to take action against the people who organised the illegal jirga.
Tariq Ali, who was present in the court, admitted that he received Rs 150,000 and said he could return it as he had already spent it. Taking serious notice of his admission, the judges sent him to jail.
Additionally, the bench directed SSP Sukkur and the relevant SHO to arrest Azam Magsi and present him before the court on May 22.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 18th, 2013.