Jirga imposes Rs2.6m fine on former SHO

Two members of Sarki clan killed during encounter.

SUKKUR: Thull police station’s former SHO Gul Mohammad Mahar and his police team were ordered on Sunday by a jirga to pay heavy compensation for killing two people and injuring three others in an encounter in Garhi Hassan Sarki village 10 months ago.

After receiving a tip-off about criminal Sharbat Jaffery hiding in the Garhi Hassan Sarki village, SHO Mahar along with a police team had raided the village and arrested Jaffery. However, some of the villagers resisted and an exchange of fire took place between them, killing Raees Allah Jurio Sarki and Faiz Mohammad Sarki. Three others were injured.

After the incident, relatives of the deceased had lodged an FIR against 12 policemen including SHO Mahar. Officials claim that the police was under tremendous pressure by the elders of the Sarki clan and thus consented to resolve the matter through a jirga.

A jirga was held in the village on Sunday under MPA Sheheryar Mahar and Sardar Zulfiqar Sarki to reconcile the matter. After hearing both sides, the jirga concluded that the former SHO Gul Mohammad Mahar and his party were guilty of killing two innocent villagers and injuring three.

The jirga in all imposed a fine of Rs2.65 million on the police. For the murder of the two villagers, Rs500,000 each was imposed with an added amount of Rs400,000 to be paid by the guilty police officer for the killing of Raees Allah Jurio as he was an elder of the Sarki clan. For each of the three men injured, Rs350,000 was imposed, while Rs150,000 was the penalty for ransacking the house of Sardar Zulfiqar Sarki and Rs50,000 for the expenditure of the police.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2010.