SUKKUR, Aug 24: Speakers at a seminar on "Jirga, Islam and Human Rights" held here the other day under the auspices of the Jamaat-i-Islami called upon legislators to present a bill against the unlawful decisions of jirga system in the parliament.

They stressed the need to enact laws to prevent the influential people to decide matters regarding karo-kari, murder, dacoity, and marriages of minors through jirgas.

Speakers said that jirga system was the expression of lack of trust in judicial system of the country, which was costly on the one hand and took a lot of time to decide a case, on the other. The disappointment of the people with the judicial system had given a boost to the Jirga system, they added.

They further said that the poor population of rural areas did not have easy access to police and courts therefore they were compelled to seek settlement of disputes through jirga system.

They said that jirga system prevailing in Sindh was against Islam as well as human rights and the Shariat did not allow it. They said that a majority of the decisions taken in jirgas were against human values, and deplored that the government functionaries supported jirga system.

The speakers called for simplifying judicial system and ensuring timely announcement of verdicts, and said that after that, there would be no need for jirga system.

They further said that tribal chieftains and other influential people, who presided over jirga proceedings, pocketed compensation money and they were not worthy of deciding the matter of a murder or karo-kari as they were not qualified judges or Qazis.

Those who spoke on the occasion included MNA Asadullah Bhutto, Naib Ameer of JI, Sindh, Mumtaz Hussain Sahto; president of PPP, Sukkur, Jamil Sahto; Khair Mohammad Tunio, Abdullah Khoso, Maulana Bashir Ahmed, Falak Naz, Dr Mohammad Akhtar Qureshi and Professor Masood Ali Khan.