ANAA is outraged at the appointment of Mir Hazar Khan Bijrani as federal education minister. Mr. Bijrani was arrested for chairing the jirga that decided to hand over five minor girls to settle a dispute in 2006.This is how the story goes.
15th August 2007, Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Ahmed Chaudhry, ordered the arrest of 11 members of a jirga, including PPP MNA Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, for handing over five minor girls to the family of a murdered man as compensation to settle the dispute in Jacobabad.
Complaint was filed by a freelance anthropologist Samar Minallah against the handing over of five girls — Aamna, 5, Bashiran, 2, (daughters of Rahmatullah), Shehzadi, 6, Meerzadi, 2, (daughters of Hafeezullah) and Noor Bano, 3, (daughter of Yar Ali) — to the family of the murdered man as compensation.
The feud began in 1997 when one Miandad Banglani was killed in a shootout between Hafiz Qamaruddin and Ali Yar Banglani groups over karo-kari (honour killing). Police registered the case after nine years that too after the media highlighted the injustice.
The event of the jirga was recorded by a regional television and was shown during the hearing. The video footage contained statements of Yar Ali and Rehmatullah, fathers of three of the girls, endorsing the allegations that the girls had been given in to the victim’s family as compensation and the decision of marriage had been taken up by the jirga. (Report by Daily Time, Dawn)
ACTION ALERT:
Please send an email to Pakistani Ambassador, Honourable Mr. Hussain Haqqani - ambassador@embassyofpakistanusa.org addressed to President of Pakistan, Mr Asif Ali Zardari showing your outrage at Mr. Bijarani's appointment and asking to rescind it.
ANAA's letter to Pakistani President protesting the appoinment.
Understanding "Swara" - giving Minor Girls as compensation - 6 minute documentary
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