LARKANA / SUKKUR: A Jirga (tribal court) settled multiple disputes involving five different communities to bring an end to bloodshed in tit-for-tat attacks continuing for about 14 years in the riverine area of Naudero.
The Jirga, held in Mirpur Bhutto on Monday evening, was jointly presided over by Amir Bakhsh Bhutto, Abid Jatoi, Pir Junaid Shah Rashidi, Muazzam Abbasi, Hussain Bakhsh Narejo, Pir Dinal Shah, Azhar Khan Kamario and heads of certain other communities involved in the disputes.
The meeting imposed heavy fines on the communities found responsible for murders, injuries and property damage caused to their rivals. The total amount of fines came to Rs15.8 million.
During the proceedings, representatives of the Bhutto, Kuriya and Narejo communities appeared on behalf of one party and those of the Khokhar and Kharoos communities for the other.
Their arguments were weighed by consultants, who assisted the heads of the pleading communities to reach caseto-case decisions.
After prolonged consultations, the Jirga pronounced its ruling, according to which a fine of Rs9.5 million was imposed on the side comprising the Bhutto, Kuriya and Narejo communities. The Khokhar-Kharoos side was ordered to pay a fine of Rs6.3 million to its rivals.
The ruling was accepted by the two sides and they declared an end to their long-runninghostilities.
The community elders and members of the embattled rivals embraced each other after the Jirga proceedings.
The Jirga warned that an additional fine of Rs4 million would be imposed if any side violated the ruling.
The settlement sent a wave of joy across the Naudero riverine area with thousands of people greeting each other over the expected end to bloodshed and tension after 14 years of feud violence. They were telling their rivals that the settlement would not only restore law and order in this riverine area, but would also improve inter-community relationship.
Extraordinary security arrangements were made for the holding of the Jirga.
The community heads noted that the Khokhar-Kharoos side disowned two murders, of Imamuddin Narejo and Azeem Kuriya, and causing injuries to another man, Sarwar Kuriya.
The Jirga kept the matter pending and bound down the twosides to ensure provision of related evidence.
Chandio-Magsi feud Another Jirga, held in Qambar town, settled an old dispute between the Chandio and Magsi communities by imposing heavy fines on both the sides and ordering them to stop further bloodshed.
A fine of Rs8.3 million was imposed on the Magsi side over killing a young man, Suleman Chandio, and wounding two others two years ago in Qambar’s Ghausia locality.
The Jirga was chaired by PPP MPA Burhan Khan Chandio, who found accused Ali Jan Magsi guilty of the murder.
Both sides accepted the ruling and part of the fine amount, Rs500,000, was deposited with the Jirga on behalf of the Magsi side. The remaining amount was pledged to be paid off in two installments.
Shikarpur Jirga In Shikarpur, a Jirga settled a six-year-old dispute betweenthe Jeeha and Dahani communities. The hostility had claimed no fewer than 26 lives.
The Jirga was presided over by Sardar Zulfiqar Khan Kamario and MPA Mir Nadir Khan Magsi at Kamariyo House in Tarai village of Shikarpur district.
On behalf of the Jeeha community, Sardarzada Azhar Khan Kamario, MPA Mohammad Arif Khan Mahar, Sardar Zulfiqar Khan Sarki, Sardarzada Najaf Khan Kamario, Dr Saleem Khan Abro, Wadero Ghulam Mustafa Kakhirani, and others acted as advisers.
On behalf of the Dahani community, Sardar Moazzam Khan Abbasi, Sardar Attaullah Khan Buledi, Sardar Agha Ali Nawaz Khan Jalbani, Rehan Khan Buledi, Ali Hassan Dahani and served as advisers.
Both sides presented their respective accounts of the incidents leading to each and every casualty and loss of properties. Most of the violentincidents appeared to be related to ‘honour’.
After several hours of consultations between community elders and their advisers in a closed session, the Jirga ruling was pronounced.
The Dahani community was ordered to pay Rs46.7million to the rival side on account of 13 murders and the death of a woman who was caught in crossfire.
The Jeeha community was ordered to pay a fine of Rs40.2 million to the other side against murder of nine people, including two women and a minor girl.
A large number of people belonging to the rival communities celebrated the peaceful settlement of the dispute.
The area police escorted the community elders and their advisers back to their homes under stringent security arrangements made across the routes.
The hostility between the two sides had begun over a couple’s freewill marriage.