HYDERABAD, March 5: Two newly-wed couples, fearing that they will be killed on the pretext of Karo-kari by their relatives, have filed two separate petitions in the Sindh High Court to seek protection.

The SHC, Hyderabad circuit bench, here on Friday issued notices to the Hyderabad operations DPO and the Husri SHO on a joint petition filed by Fida Hussain and Ghulam Fatima, both Khoso by caste and residents of the Haji Palyo Khoso village in the Husri area, against their relatives and elders of their community.

They stated that a Jirga had issued orders to kill them after declaring them Karo-kari. Elaborating, the petitioners said that Fatima's brother, Mubarak, pressured her to marry an old man, threatening otherwise she would be killed on the pretext of Karo-kari.

Fatima left her house and contacted Fida Hussain, who had earlier proposed her. On Feb 21, they appeared before the civil judge and judicial magistrate-I, Tando Adam, and filed affidavits regarding their marriage.

The petitioners said that the respondents held a Jirga on Feb 24 which was presided over by Taj Mohammad and Ali Nawaz. The Jirga declared the couple Karo-kari and directed Ahmed, son of Sundo Khoso, and Qaimuddin, son of Tayyab Khoso, to kill them for which they were given some money, they added.

The petitioners said that the respondents' act of declaring them Karo-kari was illegal and prayed the court to direct the DPO and SHO to provide them protection. They also requested the court to take action against the respondents and order registration of an FIR against them.

The matter has been fixed for March 8. In another identical case, the court issued notices to the SHOs of the Sath Meel police of Nawabshah and that of Kotri taluka for March 10 on a petition filed by Rukhsana and Mumtaz Ali.

They said that the father of Rukhsana intended to marry her to someone for money although she had been engaged with Mumtaz, and on her refusal, her family started beating her.

On Feb 6 she left her house and later reached Larkana with Ali, where they filed affidavits before the first class magistrate regarding their marriage. Then they arrived in the University Colony, Jamshoro, and stayed in the house of Haji Khan Burfat.

They said that the Sath Meel SHO raided the house of Ali and since then his family was facing harassment because the father of Rukhsana was an influential man.

On Feb 13, they said, Ali was called at the Jamshoro police station and pressured to revoke his Nikah with Rukhsana and threatened with dire consequences in case of failure. They prayed the court to direct the respondent police officials and private persons not to harass them and their family members.