SANGHAR, June 8: A jirga was held in Syed Saleh Shah village near Shahpur Chakar on Thursday to decide the case of killing of two girls on the pretext of karo-kari.

The jirga was headed by Pir of Neheng Sharif Syed Ghulam Shah Jilani. Mir Maqbool Jamali, Raees Porho Khan Zardari, Khurram Yar Brohi, Mubarak Brohi and Suleman Brohi were its members.

It took up the case of killing of Hamida and Farida, both cousins, who were hacked to death on the pretext of karo-kari (adultery) by their maternal uncle and his accomplices in Allah Bux Brohi village three and a half months ago.

Two young men of the same village, Habibullah and Alam Brohi, were declared karo (adulterers) and held responsible for double murder. The jirga imposed on them a fine of Rs500,000 and eight acres of agriculture land which would be given to the heirs of the deceased girls. The jirga also banned the entry of both the youths into Sanghar and Nawabshah districts.

Both the girls were hacked to death early in the morning whey they were coming back from fields. They were chased on the streets of the village and were crying for help but no one rescued them.

Later, they were buried without last rites. Their family refused to accept condolences on their deaths.

A double murder case has been lodged with the Shahpur Chakar police station but the case was decided by the jirga.

In another jirga, the case of the death of a lady health worker, Zohran Keerio, was decided by Shadadpur Taluka Nazim Hussain Bux Khaskheli.

Zohran had died of excessive bleeding during abortion. She was unmarried.

Nurses Mehrunnisa Laghari and Hakamzadi were held responsible for her death and ordered to pay Rs450,000 fine to the heirs of the deceased within two months.

The two jirgas were held despite a Sindh High Court ban on such private courts.