MIANWALI, April 16: Another case of notorious vani tradition has been reported from a remote area of Khushab district where a political influential allegedly enforced jury order at gunpoint.

The incident which took place in Bandial village a couple of days ago, was reported to the local media on Saturday evening by two villagers and ‘witnesses’ — Khan Bahadur and Zainul Abdin. They also filed applications with local administration to seek its intervention to save two minor girls.

According to their application, Rehmatullah s/o Ghulam Muhammad, cobbler by profession, married his co-villager, Mst Shehnaz, d/o blacksmith Ghulam Muhammad, against the will of their parents a month ago.

Girl’s father approached village strongman Malik Muhammad Yar Bandial and sought his help.

As it was not difficult for the Malik to decide the matter between his ‘menials’, he summoned groom’s father Ghulam Muhammad to face a ‘punchayat’ comprising one and a half dozen people. The two applicants also gave names of each jury member.

They claimed that Malik Bandial, holding a gun, forced Ghulam Muhammad to accept the jury decision to the effect that he would pay Rs 180,000 as fine to father of Shehnaz besides giving the hands of his two daughters — Rehana (seven) to Muhammad Ramzan (eight) s/o Hafiz Dost Muhammad Lohar and Amna (11) to Muhammad Afzal (28 and already married) s/o of Ghulam Muhammad Lohar.

“After hearing the verdict cobbler Ghulam Muhammad gathered courage to reject it but was forced to accept it when Malik Bandial pointed his gun at him. Maulvi Muhammad Eissab, Imam of Masjid Zakir Wali, solemised nikkah of the minor girls,” they said.

On Malik Bandial’s order, they said, consummation of Amna’s marriage would take place on April 20, while Rehana would leave with her husband after attaining puberty.