December 18, 2002	Wednesday	Shawwal 13, 1423

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MULTAN, Dec 17: Details of another shameful incident of disgracing a woman on the orders of a Panchayat surfaced in Mailsi tehsil of Vehari district on Tuesday.

According to details reaching here, Mumtaz Mai, the mother of four children, was subjected to the ‘justice’ of a panchayat in the riverine area of Mailsi after being accused of committing adultery.

Reportedly, Mumtaz had developed ‘illicit’ relations with one of her relatives, Ghulam Mustafa. Few days ago, she allegedly eloped with her ‘paramour’. It was the second time that she opted to leave her husband Muhammad Hussain’s house for Mustafa.

However, the efforts of her husband to bring her back yielded results on Monday last and Mumtaz was taken to the Dera (outhouse) of an area influential, Allah Yar Khan, where a panchayat was called to suggest ‘punishment’ for Mumtaz for her ‘immoral’ act.

It was decided that Nikah be solemnized between the four-year-old son, Sanwal, of aggrieved Muhammad Hussain and the three-year-old daughter, Saima, of Ghulam Mustafa. Furthermore, Mustafa would give his bullock-cart to Muhammad Hussain as compensation of disgrace he had brought to the latter by developing relations with his wife. The panchayat also ordered that the head and eye-brows of Mumtaz be shaved of to teach her a lesson.

The ‘justice’ was reportedly implemented in full as even the Nikah of the minor children was solemnized on the spot by a Maulvi while Mumtaz’s brother Ajmal and cousin Yaqoob shaved of her head.

When the matter came to the knowledge of Mailsi police on Tuesday, it arrested the head of the panchayat, Allah Yar Khan, and Mumtaz’s brother Yaqoob after registering a case under section 337 and 201 PPC.

On the other hand, Muhammad Hussain lodged an FIR against his wife and Ghulam Mustafa under the Hudood ordinance. Subsequently the police arrested Mumtaz on Tuesday night.