LARKANA: The Chandio and Dahani tribes settled their long-running blood dispute through arbitration, led by Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Nawab Sardar Khan Chandio, in Qambar town on Monday. Several highly influential figures of Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts as well as their adjoining areas gave a hearing to the two sides. They included politicians and chieftains of their respective tribes, clans and communities.

The hostility had cropped up after an armed clash during the Feb 8, 2024 elections. The Chandio and Dahani tribes had lost one member each whereas an ASI posted at the Sultan Shah police station was also killed in crossfire.

Three other Dahanis, the area’s DSP and his police guard were wounded in the gun battle.

Nawab Chandio, in consultation with his aides, fixed Rs4m compensation against the murder of the policeman and Rs3m for each of the deceased tribesmen.

The chief arbitrator ruled that it was proved during the hearing that the gun battle was started by Dahanis. As such, they would have to pay Rs1m fine to the Chandios.

The tribesmen who were killed in the clash were Imran Dahani and Mohammed Hassan Chandio.

It was yet to be determined that whose bullet had hit the ASI. Therefore, Nawab Chandio ruled that both sides would pay an equal share of Rs4m compensation to the heirs of the policeman.

He also ruled that the Chandio tribe would pay Rs2.5m to the Dahanis as compensation for wounding three of their members, Ghaffar, Irfan and Aitebar.

The matter of a piece of Chandios’ land occupied by Dahanis during the hostility was entrusted to former Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) MPA Moazzim Abbasi and PPP MPA Burhan Khan Chandio to decide.

The DSP Bashir Shar and his gunman, who were wounded in crossfire, did not turn up at the proceedings. Therefore, their case could not be decided at the arbitration.

The decisions of the chief arbitrator were accepted by the rival sides, whose members hugged each other to declare an end to their hostility. They also thanked the arbitrators and elite of the areas for their presence and commendable role in amicably settling the blood dispute.

Nawab Chandio warned that any side found indulging in an act that would reignite the feud would be fined Rs10m.

Prominent among the influential figures who attended the hearing put in their opinions were Dr Ibrahim Jatoi, Moazzim Abbasi, MNA Rafique Jamali, Sardar Tegho Khan Teghani, Sardar Zulfikar Kamariyo, Tarique Anwer Siyal, Jeay Sindh Mahaz-Riaz Chairman Riaz Chandio, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl’s Larkana district chief Maulana Nasir Mehmood Soomro and Larkana District Council Chairman and the district chief of PPP Aijaz Leghari.

A large number of Chandio and Dahani tribesmen and civil society organisations also attended the hearing.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2025