May 17, 2002	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 4, 1423

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MULTAN, May 16: Kidnap story of a college girl from Dera Ghazi Khan took a new turn on Thursday when the young lady and her alleged kidnapper appeared before the Multan bench of the Lahore High Court only to declare they had contracted marriage.

The court granted pre-arrest bail to Sher Ali Gurchani and Roop Karim till May 27 and directed them to join investigation under way against them in Dera after the institution of a case with B division police station under the Hudood laws on the report of Roop’s mother Aziz Khatoon.

In the FIR lodged with the police on May 7 last, Khatoon accused Sher Ali, son of Sardar Pervez Iqbal Gurchani, of kidnapping her daughter at gunpoint when she was going to a tuition centre for the preparation of FA exams on May 6. She also addressed a press conference at the office of Dera’s young lawyers’ forum and sought the help of the government against Balochi Gurchani tribe chiefs.

As the Gurchanis are among the political stakeholders of Rajanpur district where they are traditionally opposed to the Leghari-Dreshak alliance, their political opponents saw a golden chance to exploit the situation. Accusations of Rizm Khosa, a BMP official, joining the ‘forcible’ Nikah ceremony, added fuel to the fire because he is the nephew of former governor Zulfikar Ali Khosa

The Leghari group jumped into the arena to settle scores against its traditional political rivals in the two districts — Khosas in Dera and Gurchanis in Rajanpur. The situation forced Pervez Gurchani to address a press conference in Multan.

Admitting their petition, the court observed that the petitioners had appeared (before the court) in first instance because they apprehended danger to their lives (in appearing before the sessions court in Dera), especially keeping in view the feudal atmosphere of their native town. The court issued notices to the state for May 27 to bring the record of the case.

Later, Roop Karim, 20, talked to newsmen in the chamber of her counsel, advocate Mian Abbas, and said that there was no pressure on her from any corner and that she wanted to live with Sher Ali.

Sher Ali said though their parents had have some differences over the match but they were firm to live together against all odds. He denied reports that Rizm Khosa had any role in the whole affair.