Couple electrocution case: Court dismisses police report, orders arrest of jirga members

KARACHI: Police on Friday submitted its report declaring four jirga members accused of ordering murder by electrocution of a couple who married out of love. The court dismissed the police report and ordered the arrest of all four men.

The investigating officer in the case involving electrocution of a young couple in Karachi on the orders of a jirga (local council) had submitted a report before a local court declaring four members of the council innocent.

The event unfolded on the night of August 14 in Karachi's Ibrahim Hyderi area. Bakht Jan, 15, daughter of Hikmat Taj, had attempted to elope with Ghani Rehman, 17, son of Muhammad Afzal. The teenagers did not succeed.

The man who ordered the electrocution of a teenage couple

Teenage couple were killed by their own kin, on the orders of a tribal Jirga

Even though both the families had reached an agreement, a Jirga still gathered the next day, during which one elder, Sartaj Khan, insisted that the other members rejected the families’ decision and instead passed an order to have the teenagers killed.

The investigating officer of the case submitted a report with the court of judicial magistrate Malir on Friday, declaring four members of the jirga innocent. These included Sartaj Khan, Lal Rehman, Taj Mohammad and Jan Mohammad.

Police have not been able to arrest the prime accused, Sartaj, so far. The investigating officer informed the court that proceedings are underway to declare the accused a proclaimed offender.

Moreover, the hearing was adjourned until February 21.