July 28, 2002	Sunday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 17,1423

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HARIPUR, July 27: A village Jirga has expelled a young man from the district for not paying back cash and 10 tola gold ornaments amounting to Rs50,000 to a married woman, who was said to be his close relative, in village Pharhala, some four kilometres from the district headquarter, Dawn learnt through credible sources here.

However, there was no official confirmation.

One of the ‘jurors’, on condition of anonymity, said the decision of the Jirga was a result of his alleged illicit relations with the woman, mother of four.

According to a close associate of one of the ‘jurors,’ one Liaquat, a hairdresser by profession, had allegedly developed illicit relations with the wife of one of his close relative during the last few months.

When their alleged illicit relations came to light, the infuriated husband beat his wife severely and expelled her from his house along with her four children some days back.

The wife, though denied having any objectionable relations with Liaquat, also got angry and demanded Khula (divorce) from her husband. Following which a Jirga, comprising three union councillors, a college teacher, village Lumbardar and some notables of the area, was called to decide the matter.

The Jirga members heard both the sides and when the woman, who was also called to state her position, accused Liaquat for having defaulted in paying back Rs10,000 cash and 10 tola gold ornaments, it announced its decision and ordered Liaquat to leave the district for three years.

However, when the accused prayed for concession, the Jirga reduced the duration of his expulsion from the district to six months. It was reported that the accused was sent to Muzafarabad while his family, wife and a minor child, was still in the village.