MIRPURKHAS: Two couples belonging to the Gargalla community of Nawabshah have appealed to police and other authorities for protection, alleging that they have been facing threats from relatives following their marriages by choice.
The couples appeared before journalists at the Press House in Mirpurkhas and described what they said was a growing security threat to their lives after their marriages.
According to the account presented at the press conference, Anita, a young Hindu woman from the Gargalla community and daughter of Naru of Ismail Brohi village, Village 72, in Nawabshah, married a Muslim man identified as Raja of her own choice.
Another woman, identified as Nisha and described by the couple as the daughter of a Wazir, also married Parvez in Mirpurkhas..
The couples told journalists that their marriages had triggered strong opposition from some relatives. They alleged that members of their families had subsequently threatened them and that they were being forced to remain away from their homes because of fears for their safety.
“We are facing serious threats to our lives,” the couples said, according to the account of their press conference, appealing to the authorities to provide them with immediate legal protection.
They also claimed that the alleged threats had forced them to live in what they described as a life of exile, away from their families and normal places of residence.
The couples appealed to DIG Shaheed Benazirabad, SSP Nawabshah and other relevant authorities to take notice of their situation, provide them with protection and ensure the safety of their lives and property.
They further urged law-enforcement authorities to investigate the alleged threats and provide justice in accordance with the law.
Choice marriages and security concerns
The issue of security for couples who marry against the wishes of their families has repeatedly emerged in Sindh, particularly in cases involving allegations of threats, family pressure and disputes over marriages. Previous reporting from Nawabshah has also documented cases in which families or individuals publicly sought protection after alleging threats.
In one earlier Nawabshah case reported by Dawn, family members publicly appealed for protection after alleging that they were being threatened and pressured in connection with a legal case. The case illustrates why claims of threats in the region can become matters of serious concern for law-enforcement agencies.
The location mentioned in the couples’ account, Ismail Khan Brohi, is also documented in publicly available records as a locality in the Nawabshah/Shaheed Benazirabad area.
However, the specific allegations made by Anita, Raja, Nisha and Parvez at the Mirpurkhas press conference could not be independently verified from reliable online sources available at the time of reporting. No official statement from the Shaheed Benazirabad police, SSP Nawabshah or other authorities was located confirming that a formal complaint or protection application had been registered.
The relatives allegedly involved in the dispute also could not be reached for their version of events based on the information available.
The matter now rests with the relevant authorities, who may determine whether the alleged threats occurred and what legal or protective measures are warranted.
For more updates and detailed coverage of this case and other issues affecting the Hindu and Sindhi communities in Sindh, Pakistan, stay tuned to Sindh Renaissance.
