SUKKUR, Nov 28: Balkhsher Mahar has said that he had divorced Shaista Almani on his own will, foreseeing life threats to her and problems for their families if they continued to remain married.

He said this in a statement before the police here on Tuesday on the eve of Eid.

The police claimed that Shaista was residing in Rahim Yar Khan and the police parties were dispatched to Punjab to recover her.

She is to be produced before the Sukkur bench of the Sindh High Court where the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s petition, seeking safe recovery of the couple, is being heard.

If Shaista comes up with a statement confirming Mahar’s version, the petition may be declared null and void.

The couple had married against the will of the parents of Shaista and left the Ghotki area from where they hail.

Later they were brought back in a mysterious way and Shaista was said to be handed over to a tribal personality. Since then her whereabouts are not known.

Mr Mahar’s statement about the divorce is generally seen here as another victory of the tribal forces which, with the help of police and the people in power, manage to undo a marriage solemnized against the tribal tradition.