SUKKUR: A jirga (tribal court) was held in the village of Adam Khan Panhwar near Jacobabad on Wednes­day to settle an ongoing dispute between the Bhatti and Jakhrani communities which started a few years ago after killing of police official Baqar Ali Bhatti in Jacobabad.

According to reports reaching here, the Jirga proceeding were chaired by former provincial minister and leader of PPP Sardar Man­zoor Khan Panhwar and witnessed by former PPP MNA Mir Babul Khan Jakhrani, Sardar Moula Bux Soomro, Sr. Abdul Ghaffar Rind, Wad­era Ghulam Hyder Bhat­tar, Sardar Abdul Ghafoor Thaheem, Mir Kashmir Khan Jakhrani, Abdul Maj­e­ed Jakhrani, Rehmatullah Bhatti, Muhammad Mithal Bhatti, Muhammad Aslam Bhatti, Nawaz Jakhrani, Meeran Jakhrani and others.

The Jirga heard statements from the two sides and after cross questioning the rival groups, the convener of Jirga with the help of his adviser prepared the decision secretly inside a room.

The Jirga fined Nawaz Jakhrani and Meeran Jakhrani group Rs1.3 million, including additional Rs500,000 as the killed police official Baqar Ali Bhatti was a prominent person of his community.

A fine of Rs800,000 was imposed on Rehmatullah Bhatti and Muhammad Mithal Bhatti group for killing Abdul Fatah Jakhrani.

It was decided by the Jirga that both groups would pay the first installment of fine money in January and the second in June.

The two sides accepted the verdict after which people belonging to both communities hugged each other.

Published in Dawn December 11th , 2014