SUKKUR: One more killed, two kidnapped as tribal clashes continue
SUKKUR, May 21: One more Mahar tribesman was killed and two others were kidnapped as clashes among Almani, Mahar, Korai and other tribes continued for the second day in Ghokti and other areas on Friday. Two houses were also set on fire.
A heavy contingent of police was called on Friday from Sukkur, Naushahro Feroze and Khairpur districts. On Thursday night, a group of Mahar tribesmen attacked the Gulzar Korai village and torched 10 houses.
About 30 Almani families were shifted to the Shadi Khan Almani village in Naushahro Feroze. The Ghotki police early Friday morning raided an area in Suhanjro, near Mirpur Mathelo, and recovered two Mahar women, Allah Bachaee and Shahnaz, who had been kidnapped on Thursday.
Five women of the Korai tribe, who were kept at the Kot of Sardar Ali Gohar Mahar, were also handed over to their relatives, police claimed. Talking to journalists, Ghotki DPO Aftab Halepoto said that the recovered women had been handed over to their relatives.
He observed that Khuda Bux Almani was involved in the attack on the village of Mahars and kidnapping of the women. He said that the situation was under control and police pickets had been established in the villages. Rangers' personnel and police were patrolling the area jointly, he further said.
However, Mustafa, an elder of the Korai tribe, told this correspondent that only one woman had been handed over to them and the remaining four women were either still in the custody of police or kept hostage by Mahar tribesmen.
Police officers have been contacting chiefs of different Baloch tribes to maintain peace. A chieftain stressed the need for holding a jirga to settle the dispute. Meanwhile, talking to journalists here by telephone, Shaista Almani held Khuda Bux Almani responsible for the bloodshed and demanded that he should be awarded severe punishment.
She said that she was ready to leave the province if the situation persisted. She said that every one had the right to live his own life and the court had also allowed her and her husband, Balkhsher Mahar, to live together.
She declined that her husband was responsible for the clashes. A caravan of the Sindh National Party, led by its leader Ameer Bhambhro and including women and children, reached at Nangar Chandio in a bid to stop the clashes.