A ten-year-old boy, Saddam Hussain, has been declared Karo after being found in the bushes with a five-year-old while he was on his way to a forest near his village in Rohri district Sukkur. The local jirga accused both minors of Karo-kari while the boy was sternly beaten by the girl’s father.

According to a statement released by Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) on Thursday, the girls father, Muhammad Halipoto, beat the boy and accused him of running away with his daughter.

It was further stated that the jirga, led by Lal Muhammad Panwar, was attended by Saddam’s father Jaagan, too, who said that he had a land dispute with Muhammad Halipoto and that he used his (Jaagan’s) son to avenge him. Their case of land dispute is under trial in the court of law.

SPARC condemned the brutal behaviour against Saddam. “Although Karo Kari is one of the most outdated and abusive traditions, it still prevails with its horrible facets in the province of Sindh and other tribal-feudal influenced parts of the country. Innocent children are the main victims of this anti-human practice,” stated Akhtar Balouch, regional manager SPARC Karachi.

He demanded the concerned authorities take immediate measures for the protection of the two and also appealed to the Chief Justice Sindh High Court, Justice Sabihuddin, to take suo-moto notice agianst the jirga system which is a clear violation of the High Court’s ruling.
Source: The News
Date:4/5/2007