KARACHI, May 20: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Aurat Foundation and the Women's Action Forum have asked the authorities to take immediate notice of the recent incidents in Ghotki district.

A joint press release on Thursday said the Almani tribe had refused to accept the Sindh High Court's verdict that allowed Shaista Almani and Balaksher Maher to live as husband and wife.

It said that for the past two days, growing tension had been reported in Ghotki. On Wednesday, a man belonging to the Maher tribe, Dilbar Maher, was killed, while his wife and daughter, Allah Bachaee and Shanaz Maher, respectively, were kidnapped, it claimed, adding the police in Sukkur and Ghotki were unable to prevent these incidents.

The administration, the press release says, seems powerless to stop the tribes from taking the law into their hands. Law and order be restored in Ghotki immediately, the murderers be brought to justice and the kidnapped women be recovered, the press release demanded.