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SANGHAR, June 13: A Jirga held on Wednesday at a village near Gupchani, some 45 kilometres from here, settled a triple murder dispute and imposed a fine of over one million rupees on both parties.
The Jirga started at 8pm and lasted for almost seven hours at the Autaq of one Shah Baig Bhangwer.
Three people — Ilahi Bux, Ameer Ali (both are brothers), and Imam Ali Bhangwar — were killed and six were injured about two weeks ago in the limits of the Sarhari police station.
The spiritual leader of the Bhangwars, Syed Imdad Hussain Shah, played a key role. More than a hundred local influential people of the area including Bhangwar tribesmen were present on the occasion.
The dispute had started over the grazing of cattle which had claimed three lives.
After listening to both the parties, Mr Shah sent four people — Hazar Khan, Maulana Ismail, Ali, and Ismail — to the Sarhari police station to meet the arrested men who were in lockup.
After hearing both the sides, the Jirga went into a closed session before announcing its verdict.
The Jirga settled the value of each man killed at Rs300,000 while for each wounded Rs50,000.
The Chutta Khan party was penalized Rs600,000 for two murders, and Rs50,000 and Rs70,000 for wounding a man and a woman respectively. While the Kirar Khan party was fined Rs300,000 for a murder.
It was also decided that each party would visit the other and attend a feast there.
DISTRICT COUNCIL: The district council on Thursday passed unanimous resolutions against the collection of property tax on the basis of plot size and covered area, rotation system of irrigation water. It also demanded to declare the district as a calamity-hit area.
The session was presided over by its convener — Dr Mahmood Ahmed Rajput.
Speaking at the session, Aziz Ghori said that the property tax should be collected on rental basis and not on area/covered area.
He said the property tax was a matter for the taluka council and the governor of Sindh was not empowered to impose or make changes in the property tax schedule.
Faisal Wassan, Nazim Union Council, Shahdadpur-II, said that about 134,500 cusecs water had reached Guddu on 11-06-2002, while the total withdrawal capacity of the irrigation system of Sindh was 125,000 cusecs. But the Sindh irrigation department was still practising a harsh rotation system.
Mr Wassan said that Sindh had been facing at least 62 per cent water shortage during the last three years. Some talukas had been completely ruined. The farmers had nothing to eat. But not a single deh had been declared as a calamity-hit area. The ADBP was treating the poor farmers as criminals. Scores of them were sent to jails to humiliate them.
He demanded that Sanghar District should be declared a calamity-hit area.
Some members expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in the district.
The police, they alleged, were silent spectators and could do nothing against the criminals.
NINE HELD: The district police claimed to have arrested nine offenders and absconders on Wednesday.
It recovered arms and ammunition, and also impounded a motorcycle.
