July 09, 2008	Wednesday	Rajab 5, 1429

SHIKARPUR, July 8: Three underage girls were given in marriage to over aged men under verdicts of two jirgas secretly held a couple of days ago at undisclosed locations near Garhi Sahib Khan village, about 30 kilometres from here, sources close to the jirgas said on Tuesday.

The sources said that a jirga gave Waziran, 11, and Noorjehan, 9, daughters of Arbab Shar, in marriage to two over aged men belonging to Gulzar Shar’s family to settle a dispute over karo-kari between the two families.

Gulzar had murdered his niece a month ago after declaring her kari and charged Arbab Shar’s brother, Asad Shar, with having illicit relations with her.

The jirga found Asad guilty and asked him to give two girls in marriage to the aggrieved family as penalty. Since Asad had no issue he gave his nieces, daughters of his brother, in marriage to Gulzar’s family, the sources said.

Another jirga held in Rehan Shar village in the jurisdiction of Chak police station, about 30 kilometres from Shikarpur, gave in marriage five-year-old Kamul belonging to Saidal Shar family to an over aged man belonging to Baloo Shar family to settle a karo-kari dispute.

The sources said that the jirga led by Syed Shaman Shah found Saidal Shar guilty of having illicit relations with Baloo Shar’s wife. Baloo had murdered his wife after declaring her kari a couple of days ago, said the sources.

The jirga decision said that in addition, Saidal would pay Rs70,000 to Baloo as fine for the murder of an unborn child as the aggrieved family claimed the woman they had killed for honour was pregnant, and Rs30,000 for police expenses.

Sources in police said that Shikarpur DPO Khadim Rind had taken notice of the illegal jirgas and formed a committee headed by SPO Anwar Ali Gopang to conduct enquiry into them.