Caretaker Minister Takes Notice Of Outdated Custom Of ‘Ghag’

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 3rd Feb, 2024) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Caretaker Minister for Newly Merged District Affairs, Industries, Commerce and Technical education Dr Aamer Abdullah has taken the notice of the complaints about the outdated custom of ‘Ghag’ in some tribal areas and directed the relevant authorities to take concrete steps for the eradication of this heinous crime.

In a dispatch issued by the office of the caretaker minister to the respective Divisional Commissioners, Regional Police Officers (RPOs), Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and District Police Officers of the merged districts and former Frontier Regions (FRs), it has been stated that under ‘Ghag Act’ it has been declared a non-bailable and cognizable offense which under Section 4 of the Act, imprisonment for a term of 3 to 7 years with a fine of five lakh rupees or both.

The Caretaker Minister has directed that such matters should be dealt with only in accordance with the relevant legal provisions contained in the Ghag Act and that such persons who are guilty of violating the said Act shall be prosecuted under this Act.

Further, the cases of such nature should be registered immediately.

The caretaker minister has further directed that such cases should be diligently followed up so that the violators could be brought to the court of justice as soon as possible while appropriate measures should be taken to protect the victims.

He said that no negligence should be committed in such matters and law-breaking elements should be dealt with iron hands. It should be cleared that the issue of committing the crime of ‘Ghag’ would not be resolved by the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) means of Jirga.

He said, "Even after the enforcement of the Act, complaints of the continuation of the custom are being registered." 

Taking immediate action on these complaints, the minister directed to take action against this crime only under the relevant law.