KARACHI, May 6: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has urged the government to provide safety to a couple who have married of their free will, but are being chased by their tribesmen and the police.

In a statement issued here on Thursday, Nadia Haroon of the HRCP said that Hasri Baloch and Abid Khanzada, residents of Shahpur Chakar, had married at Nawabshah.

A jirga, comprising Junaid Pathan, Mohammad Soomro, G. M. Dahiri, Asif Pathan, Dewan Makrani (girl's father), Barkat Makrani, Liaquat Makrani, Javed Makrani and Shakeel Makrani, condemned the couple and ordered that they be killed under the pretext of karo-kari. The couple has been prosecuted ever since.

She said that the law-enforcement agencies instead of providing protection to the couple were themselves involved in persecuting them. The police officials are constantly harassing Abid's father, threatening him with terrible consequences if the girl was not returned to her parents. Abid's brothers were also picked up and harassed by the police.

She said that the couple be protected and the officials involved in harassment be held accountable. She said that the Sindh High Court has recently confirmed that jirgas are unconstitutional and illegal.