LARKANA, May 17: In an apparent move to force compliance with a jirga decision, several members of the Mirjat clan have been booked, and two of them arrested, in a theft case registered against them with the Hamal police station.

They had refused to accept a jirga decision to hand over two minor girls as compensation to settle charges of karo-kari levelled against a male member of their family. The Mirjat clansmen, for their part, claim that the theft case registered against them is false and allege that the complainant is hand in glove with the two landlords who announced the verdict.

According to reports received here, about one year ago Ibrahim Mirjat of the Hamal village was accused of being ‘karo’ with Nazia Mirjat. A week ago, a jirga was held in Larkana where landlords Raees Hassan Jat and Umar Attur Jat announced the verdict that Asghar Mirjat’s four-year-old daughter Farzana and Niaz Mirjat’s minor daughter Tasleem be handed over as compensation, along with a fine of Rs100,000 to settle the issue.

Accompanied by the two minor girls and their grandmother Hajiran, Asghar Mirjat and Niaz Mirjat told journalists that they had rejected the jirga’s cruel decision. As a result, they said, their lives were in danger.

They further alleged that Nazia Mirjat’s uncle Huban Mirjat --- hand in glove with the two landlords who handed down the jirga verdict --- had lodged against them a false case involving the ‘theft of 4000kg of wheat’. The motive, they said, was to pressurise them into accepting the jirga’s verdict.

The Hamal police have arrested Daud and Dodo Mirjat, Aijaz, Asghar, Niaz, Nawaz, Ibrahim, Mashooq, Chanesar, Taj Mohammad, Sikandar, Bhutto and 12 unidentified men are said to be absconding.

Appealing to the chief justice of the Supreme Court, the Sindh chief minister and IG for help, the villagers said they shifted to Miandad Chandio village in Dadu district after their opponents had attacked their houses.