Six people were killed and nine women were kidnapped during a bloody clash between the Almani and Maher tribes in Ghotki late Wednesday night, reports from the area said. The clash was the result of the tension that had been mounting between the two. A man from the Maher tribe and a woman from the Almani tribe married against their tribal elders’ will and sought court protection after the elders tried to force a divorce.
| "They can't get married, y'r honor! They ain't near close enough kin!" |
The Sindh High Court upheld the marriage and ordered the police to protect the couple. Ms Almani was given a job as police constable so that they could live in a protected police apartment.
"Ummm... Our new apartment? It's got bars on the windows? And a blast wall outside? The couch is made out of sandbags?"
"Wait'll yez see the bedroom!" |
After the clash, Ghotki police raided villages inhabited by people belonging to the Almani tribe and arrested a number of men and women.
"Into the paddy wagon wit' yez!"
"But I didn't do nuttin'!"
"Mahmoud! Hit him!"
"Owwww!" |
According to reports, about 30 armed men attacked the village Nooruddin Maher near Ghotki last night. The attackers trespassed the house of Mohammad Murad Maher, and kidnapped his wife, Allah Bachai, 25, and their 13-year-old daughter, Shahnaz.
| Allah is 25. She has a 13-year-old daughter. That means she was 12 when she gave birth, probably 11 when she conceived... |
There was an exchange of fire between the man and the attackers, as a result of which another Maher man, Dilbar Maher, was killed.
Also killed during the attack was a man named Liaqat Korai.
| ... who was just walking down the street... |
Following the incident, hundreds of Maher tribesmen rushed to the scene.
Later, Maher tribesmen raided Liaqat Korai’s native village Qamber Korai and kidnapped seven women from there.
| "Yar! Wimmin! Bring me the sultry wench with the fire in her eyes!" |
They followed that up by a raid on village Ghulam Mohammad Korai and killed tractor driver Ali Nawaz Korai and kidnapped four Almani tribesmen from a brick kiln, killing two of them. Their names could not be ascertained immediately. In an operation throughout district Ghotki, police on Thursday morning raided the houses of Almani tribesmen living in Khanpur Maher, Daharki and Mirpur Mathelo, and arrested a number of men and women.
| ... possibly including some who were involved in the murders and kidnappings... |
Tension is reported to be high in the affected areas, with members of the two tribes entrenched against each other. |