The Border Military Police (BMP) have booked 18 people for holding a tribal ritual called ‘Aas Aaf’ that requires a person to walk on a track of burning coal ‘unhurt’ to prove his innocence or that of a fellow tribesman or a kin in cases of adultery, theft or murder.
According to BMP officials, the ritual that is still practiced by some Baloch tribes, was held twice at the house of a local, Mureed Bukhsh Alkani, in Neelani area of Rajanpur.
Sources said Alkani also charged ‘rent’ for providing his place for holding the ritual and entertaining those who attended it.
They said during the ritual, Hasan Mohammad of Mana Ahmadani of Jampur tehsil walked on the burning coal to prove the innocence of his brother Niaz, who was accused of killing a local Sawan.
In the second case, Ameer Bukhsh Leghari, alleged with having illicit relations with the wife of Lalu Zarghani of Tuman Gorchani area was put to the ‘test’.
The sources said in both cases, the accused were declared innocent by the tribal elders who inspected the soles of the two men to ascertain that they were not hurt and were therefore innocent.
On being informed of the incident, the BMP registered a case against 18 people.
The political assistant and commandant of Rajanpur BMP, Saifullah said the 18 people who participated in the ritual had been booked under sections 436 and 324 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The nominated accused included Alkani, Maoj Ali, Maulvi Ibrahim, Jan Mohammad, Bhutto Nokani, Baz Ali and Lalu.
A local, Sher Mohammad, said, “Before holding of the ritual, verses from the Holy Quran are recited and then the accused (or someone on his behalf) begins a 24-foot-long walk on burning coal.”
