Family attacked for refusing to handover daughters as vani in Rahim Yar Khan
Girls' brother had married a woman of his choice 14 months ago
April 15, 2018
RAHIM YAR KHAN: A family was attacked for refusing to hand over their two daughters as Vani during a jirga session in Rahim Yar Khan Sunday morning, sources told Geo News.
The jirga, which was called by the family of a woman after she married a man for her own choice 14 months ago, put a fine of Rs0.8 million on the man and ordered handover of his two sisters as Vani.
The man’s family paid the fine but refused to hand over their daughters. Following the refusal, the family was attacked and their crops were set on fire, the family members said.
A case was registered against 34 people for setting the crops on fire. Police said that they are conducting raids to arrest the suspects.
The police also shared that they have no information pertaining to jirga, adding that they will provide protection to the married couple as per law.
Vani is an ancient tradition which is tied to blood feuds among the various tribes and clans, where the females are forcibly married to the members of different tribes for the dispute settlement.
On March 17, a girl killed herself by drinking poison in Ubauro, Ghotki, after refusing to be made Vani, to pay for her brother’s decision to marry of his own free will.
The girl also poisoned her parents who are said to be in critical condition and undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Karachi.
A jirga had decided that the girl must marry someone from her brother’s in-laws after he married a girl of his choice. The jirga also ordered her brother to pay Rs1 million.
The deceased's brother, Sarfaraz Sheikh, and Aasia contracted court marriage three months ago. Sheikh said a local feudal lord summoned a jirga following his marriage to Aasia.
