QUETTA: The Supreme Court took suo moto notice of the Dera Bugti Wani incident and ordered strict action against the one involved within the act. The SC took note of the incident while hearing the Balochistan unrest case on Tuesday.

The case is being heard by the SC’s three member bench, presided by Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

While hearing the case CJ inquired about the incidence of the Wani act within Balochistan. Deputy Commissioner Dera Bugti, while answering the query, stated that there were almost 13 girls who were said to be declared Wani and that the jirga was held within the Bakar area.

According to sources, the jirga which adjudged the girls as Wani was headed by MPA Mir Tariq Masuri, but Mr . Masuri has declined this by stating that he was involved within the jirga.

Upon hearing this, the Court issued a summon notice ordering Mr. Masuri to appear before the Court. Justice Khilji Arif further added that they had witnessed several such cases within Sindh and had found one Minister to be involved in such acts.

Wani is a tribal custom of handing over females by an offending party to those of the victims in order to restore peace between the parties. The act is usually committed in circumstances whereby the offending party does not have enough monetary strength to pay off the blood money hence the act of offering females by getting them married to one of the victim’s close relatives is considered to be a substitute.