PESHAWAR, July 26: The decision of an unauthorised forum in Mianwali to give away eight girls in marriage to settle a murder case between rival families, revealed an accelerated process of descent into an age of barbarianism, said Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).

Such decision violated the laws of the land, the laws of all religions including Islam and the norms of civilised behaviour anywhere in the world, says a commission’s press release here on Friday.

It was also shocking that authorities appeared to have stood by and permitted the terms contained in the settlement to be carried out without intervention, until orders were issued by the Supreme Court following the publicising of the terrible sequence of events.

The HRCP said until systematic action was not taken by the authorities to prevent the recurrence of such extra-judicial forum and the meting out of sentences by them, there could be no improvement in the prevailing situation.

The press release added that the action taken by the provincial government in this specific case could serve no meaningful purpose and it was crucial to take wide ranging measures to bar such verdicts by the tribal gatherings and all those involved in arranging such forums to be penalised under the law.