Day: July 24, 2008

JACOBABAD: Three unidentified bandits looted more than 200 Hindu women when they were worshiping at a temple here on Wednesday.

The bandits barged into the temple and made hostage on gunpoint around 200 Hindu women present there for the usual religious prayers. The robbers reportedly looted hundreds of thousands of rupees in cash and jewellery worth millions of rupees from the women. They also injured Kanta Bai and Shrimati Gunni on resistance. Later, they fled.

As the news reached the city, hundreds of enraged Hindu community members crowded the temple and shouted slogans against the police. DPO Jacobabad Saqib Ismail Memon reached the scene and tried to calm down the angry mob but in vain.

Later, the mob took out a rally under the leadership of Babu Mahesh Lakhani, former president of the Hindu Panchayat, Jacobabad, which marched on several roads of the city. They also blocked the National Highway, suspending the traffic for one hour.

Babu Mahesh, while addressing the rally, said the Hindu community was being harassed under a deep-rooted conspiracy. “Even our honour is at stake now,” the Hindu community leader said.

He said that it was the responsibility of the government to protect their honour, property and life. “But nobody is there to help us. Now we are being looted even at our temples and houses,” he added. He demanded of the government to arrest the bandits immediately or the protest would continue. Meanwhile, Home Minister, Sindh, Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, and IG Sindh Police Salahuddin Babar Khattak taking notice of the incident directed the DPO Jacobabad to arrest the bandits within 24 hours.
Source: The News
Date:7/24/2008

VEHARI, July 23: On the orders of sessions court, police on Tuesday night recovered two girls, detained at an outhouse of a landlord on the orders of a panchayat (jury), who alleged they were gang-raped during their week-long detention.

The court was moved by Fida Husain, brother of one of the girls, saying the victims were illegally detained on the orders of a panchayat.

Reports said one Shaukat allegedly kidnapped a relative, Humera, about two weeks back and could not be traced. To ‘resolve’ the issue, elders of both families held a punchayat and decided that Shaukat’s sister ‘S’ and his cousin ‘R’ would remain in the custody of Humera’s relative Mehr Maqsood, till Shaukat and Humera were brought back.

Accordingly, the girls were handed over to Mehr Maqsood and others for one week.

Meanwhile, on the complaint of Fida Husain, the sessions court ordered Mitroo police for girls’ recovery. The police raided the outhouse of Mohammad Hashim and recovered the girls.

Police also nabbed Manzoor, brother of Humera, while the other accused managed to escape from the scene.

After being recovered, the girls were produced in the court. The victims alleged that during the detention Mehr Maqsood, Manzoor and several unidentified people repeatedly raped them at gunpoint. The court handed the girls over to their families and asked them to lodge an FIR.

However, Mitroo police SHO Rashid Malik told Dawn that the rape ‘allegations’ would be confirmed only after medical examination of the victims.

Accused Manzoor denied rape charges. He claimed brother of one of the victims himself offered to handover the girls to Humera’s relatives till her return.

Police had neither registered case against the members of the panchayat nor against those accused of raping the girls during their detention.
Source: Dawn
Date:7/24/2008

SANGHAR, July 23: Two minor girls of Magsi tribe have been married to underage boys of Chandio tribe as settlement of a dispute over an affair involving the girls’ father.

According to reports reaching here, 30-year-old Asghar Magsi of Hussain Magsi village had an affair with 20-year-old Hasina of the same village. Asghar has five children — three sons and two daughters.

Ms Hasina, who belongs to the Chandio tribe, eloped with Asghar about two weeks ago. The matter was brought to the notice of the elders of the tribes who decided a couple of days ago that the minor daughters of Asghar — nine-year-old Rashida and eight-year-old Aami — would be married to Chandio boys in compensation for the humiliation.

After the decision, Rashida Magsi was married to 10-year-old Ghulam Rasool Chandio and Aami Magsi to 12-year-old Sikandar Chandio.

Since the handing over of the girls to their “in-laws”, nothing has been heard about the parents of the boys and the girls.

Taking notice of the matter, Sanghar DPO Dr Waliullah Dal ordered an inquiry.

Sarhari SHO Agha Hashim Pathan told Dawn on phone that he had completed the inquiry.

He said he had recorded statements of grandfather of the girls, Mir Jan, and their mother Ms Nawaban. They have said that they acted in accordance with their customs to prevent bloodshed.
Source: Dawn
Date:7/24/2008