FAISALABAD, July 30: Prayer leaders of Jaranwala have urged the government to punish members of a 'Panchayat' who had decided the fate of a teenaged girl (who married two men) by tossing a coin and then declaring her two husbands as liable to be killed.

In their Friday sermons, the Imams termed the incident a slur on the face of residents of Jaranwala, adding that such an un-Islamic decision should be condemned by the society as a whole and the so-called custodians of customs should be taken to task.

On appeal of the Imams, a group of youngsters also staged a demonstration in Hussain Colony and demanded action against Panchayat members as well as both the men and girl. As the story goes, youth Muhammad Naseem married Kiran (15) of Hussain Colony, Jaranwala, in May last without the consent of her parents. Their Nikah was duly registered with a local union council.

Abdul Latif, father of the girl, rejected her marriage with Naseem and forcibly arranged her second marriage with Muhammad Boota without getting her divorced. The matter was taken to a Panchayat (an assembly of area notables) which, after a long discussion, tossed a coin to decide with whom the woman would live.

Naseem, her first husband, won the toss and took the girl with him. When area people as well as prayer leaders condemned the verdict, Panchayat elders met again and declared both the husbands as wajib-ul-qat' (liable to be killed). Both Naseem and Boota disappeared when the jury announced the verdict.

According to the girl, she was tortured mercilessly by her father and other elders due to which she agreed to marry Boota without even getting divorce from Naseem. When contacted, Jaranwala SHO Liaqat Ali said that no-one had reported the matter to police. Faisalabad DPO Muhammad Amin Wains gave the same reply.