Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 14 year-old girl was gang raped by armed men to punish her father for identifying them in a case of theft at his house. When the girl was being raped police in the vicinity heard her cries from a distance but did nothing to stop the assault because they knew that the rapists are armed. The assault continued until dawn when villagers arrived with weapons and attacked the accused persons.
None of the attackers were arrested and a protest over the incident is continuing. The local NGOs report that many of the accused persons have been seen fraternizing with the police.
CASE NARRATIVE: (According to information collected from press reports and local NGOs)
In the third week of April 2010 there was a theft at the house of Mr. Ghulam Shabbir, 40, a farmer and resident of village Bachal Leghari, Taluka Johi, district Dadu, Sindh province. Shabbir lodged a report to Johi police station mentioning the names of accused persons who attacked his house and stole valuable items. The police were reluctant to file a FIR (First Information Report) against the accused persons as they are notorious criminals and henchmen of the tribal chief of Jamali tribe, Mr. Dattal Jamali whose younger brother, Mr. Rafiq Jamali, is a federal minister. The accused persons threatened Shabbir many times and warned him to withdraw their names from the theft case otherwise he would face serious consequences.
On May 5 at about 12.30am the accused persons, Laiq Laghari, Hassan Laghari, Allah Ditto, Allah Dino, Mohammad Ayube Laghari, Mahboob Jamali and Mohammad Umar, along with some more persons arrived at Shabbir’s house carrying firearms. They rounded up the members of Shabbir’s family and started beating them. After 20 minutes the armed men abducted Shabbir’s 14 year-old daughter and took her towards the desert area. The family members came out from house and shouted to get support from neighbourhood. The people gathered and tried to contact the Johi police station but were told that the station house officer (SHO) was not in the police station at the time. They were told to call back in the morning. The people then contacted a senior journalist, Mr. Akbar Laghari, who talked to high police officials on the phone. A police party under the station head officer (SHO) of Johi police station, Mr. Bakhshal Jamali, was sent to follow the accused persons along with the villagers.
After three to four kilometers from the village they found that the girl was being held on a rock surrounded by more than eight persons. They fired shots in the air to frighten off anyone from coming close to them. The cries of the girl during the rape could be heard by police and villagers but SHO Bakhshal had refused to take action and said to the villagers that they could do something when it was day light. The villagers then went to nearby a village and asked the people to help and also to bring whatever firearms they had with them. At around 4am on May 6, the villagers attacked the accused persons and rescued the girl but the perpetrators continued firing into the air as they ran away.
The Johi police refused to give a letter for a medical examination for rape which is a legal formality for the government hospital. Next day people from different villages protested and over the incident. They took the girl to the Dadu district government hospital for a medical examination. The medical was conducted and after two days a provisional certificate was issued which confirmed that she was raped by more than one person. But until now the hospital has not issued a final report as there was tremendous pressure from tribal chief and his younger brother, the minister of state.
The villagers and citizens of Dadu city went to the house of Mr. Rafiq Jamali, federal State minister and the younger brother of Dattal Jamali, the tribal chief of Jamali clan, who promised the protesters that he would help to arrest the perpetrators. However, on the instruction of his elder brother he immediately left the city without helping the victim and her family. They also protested at the office of the district police officer (DPO) who immediately suspended two assistant sub inspectors, Mr. Ehsan Soomro and Mr. Siddique Mallah, to cover up the whole situation against police inefficiency to stop the rape. Action against the police officers like deputy superintendent police (DPO), Mr. Allah Rakhio, SHO of Johi police station, Bakhshal Jamali, assistant sub inspector (ASI) Sain Rakhio was not taken as they are the relatives of minister and tribal chief.
To date not a single alleged rapist has been arrested and they are seen providing rides to police officials on their motor bikes. An FIR was also lodged in Johi police station on May 6, after the pressure from local journalists and NGOs.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities to initiate enquiry in to the gang rape case of a 14-year-old girl, to take revenge to her father for accusing notorious criminals in a theft case. Please urge the authorities to arrest the alleged rapists and prosecute the police officials who are providing protection to the perpetrators in their crimes. Please also urge for compensation to the victim of rape and her family for their ordeal.
The AHRC is writing a separate letter to UN special Rapporteur on the Question of violence against women calling for intervention into this case.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear __________,
Re: PAKISTAN: A girl of 14 years was gang raped to punish her father for nominating accused persons in a theft case
Name of the victim:
Ms Zulekha Laghari 14, daughter of Bachal Leghari, Taluka Johi, district Dadu, Sindh province, PAKISTAN
Name of alleged perpetrators:
1. Laiq Laghari,
2. Hassan Jamali,
3. Allah Ditto,
4. Allah Dino,
5. Mohammad Ayube Laghari,
6. Mahboob Jamali,
7. Mohammad Umar Jamali,
All are residents of village Bachal Leghari,
Taluka Johi, district Dadu, Sindh province
PAKISTAN
8. Mr. Allah Rakhio,deputy superintendent police (DSP),
Taluka Johi, district Dadu, Sindh-PAKISTAN
9. Bakhshal Jamali, SHO,
Taluka Johi, district Dadu, Sindh-PAKISTAN
10. Sain Rakhio assistant sub inspector (ASI),
of Johi police station, Taluka Johi,
district Dadu, Sindh-PAKISTAN
Date of incident: May 5, 2010
Place of incident: Bachal Laghari, Taluka Johi, district Dadu, Sindh province.
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the gang rape of a 14 years old girl to take revenge from her father for nominating perpetrators in a case of theft. The police officials of Taluka Johi, district Dadu, are protecting the accused persons because of one federal state minister. The involvement of authorities to protect the perpetrators of gang rape is very much evident as the medical report of rape was still not been issued by the government hospital after passing many days. The rule of law was openly violated in the case of 14 year old girl by the powerful persons and police.
I am shocked to learn that in the third week of April 2010 there was a theft at the house of Mr. Ghulam Shabbir, 40, a farmer and resident of village Bachal Leghari, Taluka Johi, district Dadu, Sindh province. Shabbir lodged a report to Johi police station mentioning the names of accused persons who attacked his house and stole valuable items. The police were reluctant to file a FIR (First Information Report) against the accused persons as they are notorious criminals and henchmen of the tribal chief of Jamali tribe, Mr. Dattal Jamali whose younger brother, Mr. Rafiq Jamali, is a federal minister. The accused persons threatened Shabbir many times and warned him to withdraw their names from the theft case otherwise he would face serious consequences.
On May 5 at about 12.30am the accused persons, Laiq Laghar, Hassan Laghari, Allah Ditto, Allah Dino, Mohammad Ayube Laghari, Mahboob Jamali and Mohammad Umar, along with some more persons arrived at Shabbir’s house carrying firearms. They rounded up the members of Shabbir’s family and started beating them. After 20 minutes the armed men abducted Shabbir’s 14 year-old daughter and took her towards the desert area. The family members came out from house and shouted to get support from neighbourhood. The people gathered and tried to contact the Johi police station but were told that the station house officer (SHO) was not in the police station at the time. They were told to call back in the morning. The people then contacted a senior journalist, Mr. Akbar Laghari, who talked to high police officials on the phone. A police party under the station head officer (SHO) of Johi police station, Mr. Bakhshal Jamali, was sent to follow the accused persons along with the villagers.
After three to four kilometers from the village they found that the girl was being held on a rock surrounded by more than eight persons. They fired shots in the air to frighten off anyone from coming close to them. The cries of the girl during the rape could be heard by police and villagers but SHO Bakhshal had refused to take action and said to the villagers that they could do something when it was day light. The villagers then went to nearby a village and asked the people to help and also to bring whatever firearms they had with them. At around 4am on May 6, the villagers attacked the accused persons and rescued the girl but the perpetrators continued firing into the air as they ran away.
The Johi police refused to give a letter for a medical examination for rape which is a legal formality for the government hospital. Next day people from different villages protested and over the incident. They took the girl to the Dadu district government hospital for a medical examination. The medical was conducted and after two days a provisional certificate was issued which confirmed that she was raped by more than one person. But until now the hospital has not issued a final report as there was tremendous pressure from tribal chief and his younger brother, the minister of state.
The villagers and citizens of Dadu city went to the house of Mr. Rafiq Jamali, federal State minister and the younger brother of Dattal Jamali, the tribal chief of Jamali clan, who promised the protesters that he would help to arrest the perpetrators. However, on the instruction of his elder brother he immediately left the city without helping the victim and her family. They also protested at the office of the district police officer (DPO) who immediately suspended two assistant sub inspectors, Mr. Ehsan Soomro and Mr. Siddique Mallah, to cover up the whole situation against police inefficiency to stop the rape. Action against the police officers like deputy superintendent police (DSP), Mr. Allah Rakhio, SHO of Johi police station, Bakhshal Jamali, assistant sub inspector (ASI) Sain Rakhio was not taken as they are the relatives of minister and tribal chief.
To date not a single alleged rapist has been arrested and they are seen providing rides to police officials on their motor bikes. An FIR was also lodged in Johi police station on May 6, after the pressure from local journalists and NGOs.
The total absence of rule of law can be judged by the irresponsible attitude of the police when neighbours of the victims tried to contact Johi police station it was told to them that the station house officer (SHO) was not in the police station so they should contact in the morning. The people then contacted one senior journalist, Mr. Akbar Laghari, who talked to high police officials on the phone. A police party was under the station head officer (SHO) of Johi police station, Mr. Bakhshal Jamali, was sent to follow the accused persons along with villagers.
I am shocked to see the indifferent attitude of the police in not stopping the crime and allowing the accused persons to commit this crime in their presence.
It is really a shocking for me that the police in district Dadu are working under the tribal chief of Jamali clan and its henchmen who could not safe a girl from gang rape which was committed before them. The preference of the police of Johi was to appease tribal chief, Mr. Dattal Laghari and his younger brother, Rafiq Jamali, the minister of state rather then stopping the rape of a girl.
The act of gang rape of a girl before the police shows the total failure of rule of law before powerful people who are in the government and trying to run their own system of crimes through law enforcement agencies.
I urge you to initiate an enquiry into the gang rape case of a girl of 14 years and the nexus of police with the criminals for providing protection to the perpetrators. I also urge that the perpetrators should be arrested immediately and the prosecution of the police officials who are providing protection to the perpetrators in their crimes. Please provide compensation to the victim of rape and her family for their ordeal.
Yours sincerely,
—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani
Prime Minister of Pakistan
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9221596
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk
2. Syed Qaim Ali Shah
Chief Minister
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 2000
E-mail: pppsindh@yahoo.com
3. Mr.Syed Mumtaz Alam Gillani
Federal Minister for Human Rights
Ministry of Human Rights
Old US Aid building
Ata Turk Avenue
G-5, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +9251-9204108
Email: sarfaraz_yousuf@yahoo.com
4. Mr. Muhammad Ayaz Soomro
Minister for Law, Parliamantry Affairs & Criminal Prosecution Service
Sindh Assembly Building,
Court road, Karachi, Sindh province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9211982
E-mail: secy.law@sindh.gov.pk
5. Chief Justice of Sindh High Court
High Court Building
Saddar, Karachi
Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9213220
E-mail: info@sindhhighcourt.gov.pk
6. Ms. Nadia Gabol
Minister for Human Rights
Government of Sindh,
Pakistan secretariat, Barrack 92,
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9207044
Tel: +92 21 9207043 +92 21 9207043
E-mail: lukshmil@yahoo.com
7. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9213452
E-mail: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk
8. Inspector General of Police
Police Head office, I. I. Chundrigar road
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9212051
E-mail: ppo.sindh@sindhpolice.gov.pk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
