Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Friday observed that vani and swara were heinous crime, which must be eradicated from the country. A three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, was hearing a constitutional petition against the custom of swara wherein women are given in marriage as compensation for an offence.
The petition was filed by Samar Minallah, who made Federation of Pakistan respondent through secretary ministry of women development, social welfare and special education. The bench was told that as per vani and swara custom in district Sukkhar, a Jirga ordered handing over 12 girls including 4 minors to the rival in term of compensation for a murder.
The bench expressed displeasure over the parallel judicial system in the country and ordered the local police to arrest the culprits and submit the challan on priority basis because vani and swara were heinous crime. During the course of hearing, petitioner Samar Minallah told the bench that Jirga system was in practice in spite of Sindh High Court verdict that declared the system illegal. The court disposed of the petition after issuing order to the local police.