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9-year-old Vani victim moves family court

Staff Report

DERA GHAZI KHAN: A nine-year old girl, Nusrat of Sakhi Sarwar, Dera Ghazi Khan district, who was given in Vani, filed a petition in Dera Ghazi Khan family court on Thursday, requesting the court to book her husband, Shaukat Hussain, and father-in-law, Allah Diwaya, under Islamic law.

Nusrat was given in Vani as compensation to the aggrieved family for the alleged crime committed by her brother, Abdul Ghafoor, one month ago in Sakhi Sarwar. Ghafoor allegedly had an affair with a woman of Allah Diwaya’s family. Allah Diwaya called panchayat, saying Ghafoor had dishonoured him. The panchayat ordered Nusrat’s father to hand over his daughter as compensation to Shaukat Hussain, the son of Allah Diwaya, who, according to Nusrat, sexually abused her for a month.

Nusrat stated in the petition that she is underage and Allah Diwaya had accused her brother of having illicit relations with a woman of his family. She stated that was given in Vani and was forced to marry Shaukat Hussain, adding that Molvi Manzoor Hussain performed matrimonial rites and showed her 18 years old in marriage papers after receiving a bribe. She stated that she was forced to marry at the age of nine.

She said her in-laws did not treat her well. However, her parent brought her back after requesting the in-laws. She said she would rather die than go back to her in-laws.

She demanded the court order the registration of case under Islamic law against her husband and father-in-law.

Nusrat’s brother, Manzoor Hussain, has also submitted a petition in sessions court, requesting filing of fraud case against Shaukat, Diwaya and Molvi Manzoor Hussain. Court has summoned both parties on May 23.

Sugurcane sowing on more area likely: Although the Punjab Agriculture Department has set the target of 130,740 acres for sowing sugarcane for the current season 2006-07, the local agriculture department and farmers expect sowing over more area than the government’s target.

Farmers say high sugarcane prices encouraged sowing over larger area. Moreover, a sugar mill located at the provincial border of Punjab and NWFP is giving credit to farmers in Dera Ismail Khan and Taunsa Sharif to encourage sugar cane production. The farmers are interested in sugar cane as compared to cotton because cotton prices are currently low.

The Punjab Agriculture Department has set sugar cane production target to 2.5 million tons. According to local agriculture department, maximum sowing target had been set for Muzaffargarh district, which is 76,080 acre. While in Dera Ghazi Khan district, sugar cane sowing will be carried out over 6,430 acre.

All four sugar mills in Dera Ghazi Khan Zone faced an acute shortage of sugar cane, as farmers refused to supply them due to low rates offered by them. The sugarcane produced in the area in this season was supplied to sugar mills in Sindh, which had set up procurement centres in DG Khan markets and offered a good rate.

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