SUKKUR: A large number of people held a demonstration outside the press club on Saturday in protest against the decision by a jirga on marriage of two minor girls under the wani custom.

A local wadera (chieftain), Peeral Chachar, presided over the jirga and gave away the girls as wani to settle a matrimonial dispute.

Shah Mohammad Chachar and Ms Hayatan, both residents of Gaji Chachar village of Pano Akil taluka, had married against the will of their parents some months ago.

The marriage caused a dispute among the two families.The family of Hayatan solicited a jirga, which was held in Rehmat Chachar village on Thursday night.

The chieftain declared Shah Mohammad as karo and Hayatan as kari for their free-will marriage.

He also imposed a fine of Rs400,000 and ordered handing over of 10-year-old Allah Diwai and six-year-old Sassui, daughters of Allah Dino Chachar.

Both the girls are nieces of Shah Mohammad and should marry brothers of Hayatan.

The chieftain forcibly solemnised nikah of Allah Diwai with 10-year-old Shaman, a brother of Hayatan. The girl will leave her parents’ home after four years—when she will be 14.

The chieftain decided nikah of Sassui would take place when she would attain the age of 10 years.

The father of the two girls protested against the verdict and said he was ready to pay the fine as penalty, but would never give away daughters as wani.

The sources said the chieftain rejected his appeal and forcibly solemnised nikah.Relatives of Allah Dino gathered outside the press club and protested against the exchange of minor girls.

They called upon police to provide them protection and cancel the verdict.

Although holding of a jirga, declaring karo-kari, exchange of women as wani and marriage of minor girls are all illegal acts under the law of the land, the authorities concerned looked the other way when the four offences took place.