Two women saved from being killed as ‘kari’

Posted by: admin in Gender Issues March 7, 2012 Comments Off on Two women saved from being killed as ‘kari’ 584 Views

By Waseem Shamsi and Rahmatullah Soomro

SUKKUR/SHIKARPUR: Alerted by media reports, police swung into action on Tuesday and saved the lives of two women who were to be killed in the name of ‘honour’ in accordance with a decision of a jirga.

Ironically, the women who belong to the Shar community, have not been accused of having extra-marital relations but they were declared ‘kari’ by the jirga because after having been kidnapped they were held in the captivity by ‘enemies’ for two days.

SSP of Larkana Aitezaz Ahmed Goraya told journalists that the IG of Sindh had ordered him to rush to the Chak area of Shikarpur district where the jirga had been held.

He said that on the basis of information received at the Chak police station he raided the house of Allah Dino in Dur Mohammad Shar village and found the two women, Khursheed Khatoon, wife of Mehmood-ul-Hussain Shar, and Ajeeban, wife of Bhago Shar.

But the organisers of the jirga, including Qurban Shar, Rustam Shar, Mithal Khan and Allah Dino, managed to escape.

The SSP said the women would be produced in court on Wednesday.

Quoting Khursheed, 45, Mr Goraya said she was going to Wazirabad to take her daughter who had recently been divorced to home.Ms Ajeeban and two teenage boys, whose names could not be ascertained, accompanied Ms Khursheed.

On their way, armed men kidnapped the two women and the boys. The kidnappers later freed the boys.

The kidnappers belonged to the Jatoi tribe and had some dispute with relatives of the women.

When the women reached home, the elders of Shar community declared them kari, presuming that they must have been raped, and decided to kill them.

The SSP said a case had been registered with the Chak police station against the organisers of the jirga and raids would be conducted after midnight to arrest them.

Local people, however, believe that the organisers of the jirga have been provided shelter by influential political elements and police were avoiding raid and waiting for orders from their seniors.

Dawn