Matiari (Report by Zubair Ahmed Kalhoro)
A longstanding dispute within the Machhi community of village Mehon Machhi, near Khyber, was finally settled through a traditional panchayat (community mediation) held at Akhund’s Well under the supervision of community elder and religious leader, Rais Akhund Abdul Latif Siddiqui.
According to the report, the meeting was attended by notable figures, including community leader Ameen Sardar Zubair Ahmed Solangi, Advocate Muhammad Siddique Nooh Poto, and several elders from both sides.
The conflict stemmed from a quarrel that took place several months earlier between two groups of the Solangi clan. Party One consisted of Talib Solangi, Zulfiqar alias Bhutto Solangi, Nabeer Bakhsh alias Udas Solangi, Sagar Solangi, Ghulam Qadir Solangi, and Ali Hassan Solangi, while Party Two included Ali Murad Solangi, Naimatullah Solangi, and Waqar Solangi.
During the proceedings, Talib Solangi alleged that a few months ago, Naimatullah and Ali Murad Solangi had injured his eight-year-old son, Farhan Solangi, by pushing him against a wall during a scuffle in the village. However, witnesses could not provide conclusive evidence to support the claim.
Party Two, in response, argued that the issue originated when Waqar Solangi — who runs a small grocery shop in the village — demanded repayment for goods sold on credit to Party One. According to them, this led to an altercation involving Zulfiqar alias Bhutto Solangi and others, who came to the shop and began a fight. Villagers intervened to prevent escalation, and both sides later presented their cases before the local jirga.
After several rounds of discussion, the dispute reached the stage of qasam (oath-taking) to determine the truth. Party Two declared their willingness to take an oath, stating that if the first group wanted to swear on the Holy Quran, they would accept its outcome. In response, Party One’s representatives, including Udas Solangi and Zulfiqar alias Bhutto Solangi, insisted they would take the oath themselves to prove that the assault was indeed carried out by Party Two.
The mediators repeatedly advised both sides to avoid the oath, but Party One stood firm. Eventually, a young man, Ali Hassan son of Khair Muhammad Solangi, from Party One, performed ablution and took the Holy Quran before the Imam and witnesses in the mosque, swearing that he had witnessed members of Party Two — including Waqar Solangi — push the child Farhan against the wall, resulting in his broken arm.
Upon hearing the oath, Party Two members, Naimatullah and Ali Murad Solangi, accepted responsibility and embraced the Quran as a mark of submission, agreeing to the decision of the mediators.
Following deliberations, the council decreed that Party Two would pay a total fine (chatti) of five lakh rupees (PKR 500,000) to Party One. It was agreed that one lakh rupees would be paid in front of witnesses on November 7, while the remaining four lakh rupees would be deposited with Akhund Abdul Latif Siddiqui by February 1, 2026, under the supervision of Ameen Sardar Zubair Ahmed Solangi, Advocate Muhammad Siddique Nooh Poto, and witnesses.
Additionally, it was decided that Party One members, particularly Zulfiqar alias Bhutto Solangi, would no longer pass through the street directly in front of Naimatullah Solangi’s house but would instead use the outer village lane. Naimatullah Solangi also agreed to relinquish any claim of passage rights from his property boundary.
In the final ruling, both sides were warned that any future provocation or assault by either party would result in a fine of five lakh rupees and a mandatory three-year exclusion from the village.
