Pakistani jirga asks man to pay Rs 1.7 mn fine for 'love marriage'

Karachi: A Pakistani 'jirga' or tribal court has punished a man for 'love marriage' and ordered him to pay a hefty Rs 1.7 million fine to his wife's family for bringing a "bad name" to them.

The jirga, held in Bajar Abad village near Tangwani in Kandhkot-Kashmore district of the southern Sindh province this week, declared the man 'an adulterer' and ordered the couple to be expelled from the village for three months.

The woman had married the man on her own free will eight months ago in a court of law, inviting the ire of her family who took the complaint to the jirga and sought 'compensation' for the 'bad name' the marriage brought them, Dawn News reported.

The jirga, chaired by Mir Ashraf Ali Bijarani, found the man guilty of being a 'karo' (adulterer) and imposed on him Rs 1.7 million fine, besides ordering the expulsion of the couple.

Last month, Pakistan's National Assembly passed a bill, giving legal and constitutional cover to the centuries-old jirga and panchayat systems in the country in a bid to ensure speedy resolution of petty civil matters and reduce the burden of litigations on the courts.

The law effectively legalises the Jirga system which often comes under scanner for anti-women decisions.

Also, honour killings are rampant in Pakistan with women not allowed to marry on their own free will in many cases.