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Little girls demanded as penalty for karo kari

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LARKANA: The family of two small girls has been under threat for the past ten days after they refused to give up their daughters when a ‘jirga’ decided that three-year-old Tasleem and four-year-old Farzana be given as a penalty. Both girls are of the Mirjat caste. Aijaz Mirjat, their uncle, said that the girls are from village Hamal of Taluka Warah in district Kambar-Shahdad Kot. Tasleem is the daughter of Aijaz’s brother, Niaz, and Farzana is the daughter of Ali Asghar Mirjat. He said that a penalty was issued after karo kari was blamed on his brother, Ibrahim Mirjat. He said that despite jirgas being illegal, one was held by an influential cast member, Wadero Athar Mirjat, during which he announced that the two minors should be given to the complainant as a penalty. “When we refused to accept this inhumane judgment they lodged an FIR against us in the Hamal police station on charges of stealing wheat,” said Aijaz. “There is no way for us to leave the area immediately. We have, however, migrated from Taluka Warah to the village of Miandad Chandio in district Dadu.” They are still being threatened to either accept the decision or face the consequences, added Aijaz. “But how can we hand over our innocent girls,” he asked. A delegation from the PPP comprising MNA Anwer Bhutto, MNA Hizbulla Buhgio, and MPA Ayaz Soomro visited the family and the girls and assured them that that the PPP will help however it can. Anwer Bhutto said that they are there extending their support to the family because Benazir Bhutto took notice of this case and advised them to visit the family. “The PPP will stand by this family every step of the way,” he added.