9 April 2005	Saturday	29 Safar 1426

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DERA GHAZI KHAN, April 8: Saddar police have failed to bridle human smuggling, which has assumed alarming proportions in their area.

The latest incident surfaced when Dera Tehsil Naib Nazim Hafiz Khalid Rauf talked to a girl, who was married to a native. The Naib Nazim initially helped the man in marrying the girl without realizing that she had been sold.

However, he has now saved the girl, who was brought to Toomi (a Khosa-dominated area of Pacchad) from Lahore, from the clutches of the human traders.

According to reports, the tehsil Naib Nazim helped Asghar Ugani, of mauza Bahadargarh, in marrying Ramzana, who actually belonged to Hafizabad. The couple tied in nuptial wedlock on April 4 in Toomi area in Saddar police station precinct.

After the marriage ceremony, the couple came to the office of the Naib Nazim who took a detailed interview of the girl in privacy for what, he said, his fears about the marriage.

The girl told him that she was already married and she left her home a month ago after a dispute with her husband. She further claimed that after leaving the home in Hafizabad, she reached Data Darbar where she spent a night. She said Nasreen and Jehangir met her at the shrine and assured her that they would adopt her.

Then they brought her to Sakhi Sarwar and finally to Toomi village, about 20 kilometres from here, at the house of Lakhu Khosa where she was sold to Asghar Khosa with whom her marriage was solemnized.

The nikhah was conducted by Qari Hafeezullah Shakir, who told journalists that he was directed by the tehsil Naib Nazim to do so.

The tehsil Naib Nazim told Dawn that after knowing the actual facts, he had given refuge to the girl and refused to hand her over to Asghar. He said he had informed the parents and husband of the girl in Hafizabad.

Sources said Lakhu Khosa, a resident of Toomi village, was involved in human flesh trade for long. Lakhu, they said, was heading a gang which operated in all the shrines in the Punjab to get stray women and girls for sale.

Sources said two months ago Lakhu sold a woman of Khanewal to proclaimed offender Sher Muhmmad Kungrani. However, on the intervention of the Border Military Police, Sher Kungrani handed over the women and her child to the police who sent them back home.

Lakhu was arrested by Lahore police in a case of human trade two years ago, but was released through the influence of a tribal chief.

According to the sources, four month ago the suspect had sold a nine-year-old girl to Musa Hamlani but after some days the latter returned the girl claiming that she was not marriageable.

The incidence of human smuggling is on the rise in the settled area of Saddar police station.

Sources said some influential tribesmen were involved in the trade, who provided refuge to Lakhu. The Saddar police, they said, were blind to the incidents which had taken place in their area.

The Dera Ghazi Khan Range DIG told Dawn that he would take stock of the situation and bridle the crime.

The girl’s parents are due here on Saturday (today) and the Naib Nazim will hand her over to them.