‘Illegal court' to decide on tribal feud

Karachi: A jirga, an unconstitutional judicial council, will give its verdict over murders of more than 120 people in Kashmor district of Sindh, rights activists and witnesses said yesterday.

The jirga was convened at the residence of Abid Khan Sunderani, a provincial legislator, whereas Manzoor Ahmad Panwar, a former member of parliament, is presiding over the jirga or the traditional court. Both the influential figures are members of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q).

Witnesses said the feud between Sabzoi and Paikhani tribes began in 2004 when some buffaloes were stolen by some of the two tribes. From then on, people from both sides have been losing lives in ambushes, firefights and entrenched battles.

Traditionally, the presiding head of jirga would listen to the representatives of both sides who would give their respective account of incidents and the number of people killed by the other tribe.

The head of jirga would count the difference in numbers and would fine those who would have committed more murders.

"This [holding a jirga] is absolutely illegal and it is like giving a licence to kill to anybody," said Akhtar Baloch, a council member of Pakistan Human Rights Commission.

Unconstitutional

A Sindh High Court verdict in 2004 said that conducting a jirga was an unconstitutional and criminal act, but politicians, mostly having feudal and tribal backgrounds, hold such jirgas to settle their disputes.

"This is definitely in contravention of the law, and the law must be used against all those who are abetting such things representing the medieval society," Baloch said.

Some 3,000 people, mostly from both tribes, gathered inside and outside a huge tent where they sat on the carpeted ground, witnesses said.

"I can see at least seven mobile vans of the police and several officers and constables who are protecting the venue," said Ahmad Channa, an active social right activist working against gender-based violence in the district.

However, the provincial chief of police said he was not aware of any meeting.