August 27, 2008	Wednesday	Sha'aban 24, 1429

SUKKUR, Aug 26: Seven men were arrested on Tuesday after police foiled an attempt to give three innocent girls in marriage to settle a dispute following a karo-kari incident on the order of an illegal jirga held in Pano Akil on Monday.

Sukkur District Police Officer Sharjeel Kharal told journalists that police had received information that Mansoor Ahmed Jatoi of Sufi Muhalla in Pano Akil had declared that his wife Zangul had illicit relations with Amanullah Jatoi and killed her.

He said that an illegal jirga, presided over by Mubarak and Shaman Jatoi in Pano Akil, held Amanullah Jatoi guilty and fined him Rs120,000 and ordered him to give three daughters of his elder brother — Sumaira, one and half years, Miran, 2, and Mukhtaran, 4, in marriage to Mansoor Jatoi to resolve the dispute.

The DPO said that acting on the information, Pano Akil police immediately raided houses of the accused and arrested Mubarak Jatoi, Shaman Jatoi, Mansoor Jatoi, Mohammad Mithal, Mehram, Haji Mubarak and Jhangal. He said that Mansoor Jatoi had allegedly killed his wife a few days ago and buried her somewhere.

He said that holding jirgas had been banned by the court and no one would be allowed to violate the court order, adding that the girls had been taken into protective custody.

He appealed to human rights organisations and NGOS to come forward and help the girls.

Answering a question, the DPO said that Mansoor Jatoi had five sons but it had not been decided when the marriage would take place. The DPO also said the jirga had also decided that the three girls would be brought up by Mansoor Jatoi and would be married to three of his sons.