June 08, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 22, 1428

LAYYAH, June 7: A 13-year-old girl has been humiliated and tortured by some influential people to exact revenge for the wrong of her uncle on the orders of a self-proclaimed panchayat in Chaubara police station precinct, about 35 kilometres from here.

Locals told Dawn that the influential group had kept Sughran Sadaf, 13, in illegal confinement. She was released when the police raided her tormentor’s house.

According to reports, a woman eloped with Sughran’s uncle Saifullah two weeks ago and the couple tied the knot, but did not return. The woman’s father, Maqsood, pressured Sughran’s family to ensure return of his daughter but, on getting unfavourable response, approached lumberdar Ghulam Murtaza who constituted an illegal jury to decide the case.

The jury, presided over by local influential Rana Abdul Qayyum and attended by many villagers, directed Sughran’s father Amanullah to produce his brother Saifullah before the panchayat. Amanullah sought two days to find out his brother, but the jury declined the request and demanded that he should hand over his daughter Sughran as tangible security.

On Amanullah’s refusal to heed the panchayat order, Arif Murtaza, Maher Khan and others started beating him and dragged him towards his home. Later, they humiliated Amanullah’s daughter and dragged her through the streets of Chak 408-TDA to confine her along with her father at Maqsood’s house.

Meanwhile, local villager Khadim Husain informed the Chaubara police about the incident and a police party, headed by SI Muhammad Shabbir, recovered the girl and her father.

Sughran told Dawn that her life was in danger as she was terrified and psychologically shaken. Amanullah alleged that the police had not registered a case against the offenders.

An NGO representative, Sanaullah Awan, has alleged that the Chaubara police SHO and Karor circle DSP had taken bribe from the influential people as they had yet to make any arrest in the case.

The SHO, who is investigating the case, said the police had registered two cases on the reports of Maqsood and Amanullah and investigation was in progress. He denied receiving hush money and said the matter would be dealt with on merit.