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PAKISTAN: The plight of a young girl who was gang raped by police and officials of the Rangers

July 20, 2012

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME

Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-133-2012

20 July 2012

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PAKISTAN: The plight of a young girl who was gang raped by police and officials of the Rangers

ISSUES: Rape, violence against women, impunity, misuse of power
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a young girl continues to suffer after she was gang raped by the officials from the Pakistan Rangers and police. The authorities are pressuring her and her family members to compromise with the perpetrators. Her house was attacked with firearms and the henchmen of the perpetrators let it be known that they can blow up the house at will. The police have instigated the neighborhood to hoot at her for having been raped and make rude signs. She tried two times to commit suicide. Her cousin was beaten and seriously injured by the perpetrators to press for settlement with the rapists.

The rape victim and her family are confined inside the house because of their neighbour's adverse reaction against her.

CASE NARRATIVE:

Miss Nadia Rasool (18), daughter of Ghulam Rasool, resident of Village Ghang District Sheikhupura, Punjab province, a student of inter commerce (grade 11) was raped. On March 18, 2012, at 4:45 pm when she was on way back to her home in village Ghang, a group of five criminals, including two policemen, a government employee and a sepoy of the Pakistan rangers abducted her in a van. She was taken to a deserted place, gang raped and thrown away on the road in the late evening. When she told of her ordeal to her family, instead of consoling her, they reprimanded her. It was difficult for her to survive and she tried to commit suicide twice, but was saved by her mother.

A police case was registered at City Police Station-B Division Sheikhupura and the perpetrators were arrested after the Suo Moto notice by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on March 27, 2012. But two of the perpetrators were released from a lower court on bail by and were later re-arrested by a session court when civil society filed the case. The case is now with the court of additional session judge, Sheikhupura, Jazeela Aslam. The poor family of this girl is under immense pressure from the police and local influential people to withdraw the case and accept compensation. They are constantly receiving life threats from the accused.

She was re-victimized not only by the society but also by the police officials’ insensitive attitude while handling such cases. In the last week of April, Police officials took her from Sheikhupura to Lahore (70 Km away) for DNA tests along with three of the rapists in the same vehicle; and there was no female constable with them during the journey and the medical test in the hospital. Clubbing the victim together with the perpetrators during traveling was meant to place immense psychological pressure on her. However, with the support of local civil society and women rights activists; the social and political pressure is being resisted so far.

Since then Nadia is struggling to return to a normal life and her family is facing immense social and financial problems. The entire family is completely shattered. Her father, Ghulam Rasool, a factory worker and sole bread earner of the family has lost his job after three months and later could only get a job as a daily wage earner. During the period of his unemployment the younger brother of the rape victim, Master Imran (16), sold himself to a dairy farm owner for Rs 50,000 (USD 540) where he is working 24 hours a day. He is given half an hour each for lunch and dinner at his house. Her cousin brother was beaten by the henchmen of the perpetrators to compel them to accept the settlement. He received eight stitches in his eye brows and two fingers of his right hand were fractured. He was kept bound in ropes for many hours at the place of Chaudry’s dera. He was released when his mother with the police reached the place. But the police have not taken any action against Chaudry for keeping him in illegal detention and injuring him.

Nadia, once a shining student of first year is unable to continue her studies and restrained within the four walls of the house. Highly frustrated, she does not know how to subsist her family, how to restart her studies and contest her case in the court. She desperately needs financial support. She could not appear before the annual examination which was held in the month of June and it has become difficult for her to continue her education. The police of the area and the perpetrators have created such an environment against her that she could not go outside the house. Her younger sister who worked as a maid to earn some money also had to leave her job and school as gangsters of the perpetrators pressured the employers and school teachers that as her sister was gang raped she has become a filthy woman. Nadia says that “I want justice and will pursue my case. I wish to continue my education. I have to leave my village now due to the constant threats from the accused parties and social pressure from relatives and neighbors.”

On the instructions of the Inspector General of Police, the local authorities have provided her police guards outside her residence but they are also pressuring the family members to enter into a settlement with the perpetrators as they are powerful people and no one can fight with police and rangers. But she and her family are determined to fight for justice despite the provincial government being very indifferent on her efforts to get justice.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write letters to the authorities calling for providing protection to the rape victim and her family members and urge them to punish the local police and Rangers for pressuring her for settlement with the perpetrators. Please urge the authorities to provide respectable 3mpolyment for her father and brothers. The better option for the government is to shift her and her family members from the village and settle them in a better place where the perpetrators cannot have access.

The AHRC writes a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences into this matter.

To support this appeal, please click here: 

SAMPLE LETTER:

Dear ___________,

PAKISTAN: The plight of a young girl who was gang raped by police and officials of the Rangers

Name of victim:
Nadia Rasool d/o Ghulam Rasool r/o Village Ghang District Sheikhupura Pakistan

Names of alleged perpetrators:
Police Constable Saqib Ali son of Zulfiqar Ali from Muhafiz Police, resident Dera Khursheed Sheikhupura, Punjab province
Police Constable Naveed Khan son of Israfeel Khan, from Muhafiz Police, resident Behari Colony Sheikhupura, Punjab province
Irfan son of Mushtaq Pakistan Rangers, resident Dera Khursheed Sheikhupura, Punjab province Khursheed son of Barkat Maseeh resident Gloria Colony Sheikhupura , Punjab province
Jamil son of Ashraf Maseeh –Public servant at the Deputy Commissioner office-Sheikhupura , Punjab province

Date of incident: March 18, 2012.

Place of incident: Village Ghang, Shekhupua, Punjab province

I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the gang rape of an 18-year-old girl who was raped by two police officials, one man from the Rangers and a government employee. The perpetrators, their henchmen and police are pressuring her and her family members to make a settlement with the perpetrators. The provincial government is silent and because of this they are helping the perpetrators to get away with their crime.

I have learned that Miss Nadia Rasool (18), daughter of Ghulam Rasool, resident of Village Ghang District Sheikhupura, Punjab province, a student of inter commerce (grade 11) was raped. On March 18, 2012, at 4:45 pm when she was on way back to her home in village Ghang, a group of five criminals, including two policemen, a government employee and a sepoy of the Pakistan rangers abducted her in a van. She was taken to a deserted place, gang raped and thrown away on the road in the late evening. When she told of her ordeal to her family, instead of consoling her, they reprimanded her. It was difficult for her to survive and she tried to commit suicide twice, but was saved by her mother.

She was able to register a case at City Police Station-B Division Sheikhupura and the perpetrators were arrested after the Suo Moto notice by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court on March 27, 2012. But two of the perpetrators were released from a lower court on bail by and were later re-arrested by a session court when civil society filed the case. The case is now with the court of additional session judge, Sheikhupura, Jazeela Aslam. The poor family of this girl is under immense pressure from the police and local influential people to withdraw the case and accept compensation. They are constantly receiving life threats from the accused.

Her house was attacked with firearms for almost 45 minutes and the henchmen of the perpetrators let it be known that they can blow up the house at will. In addition to this, the police have instigated the neighborhood to hoot at her for having been raped and make rude signs. She tried two times to commit suicide. Her cousin was beaten and seriously injured by the perpetrators to press for settlement with the rapists.

I am appalled that the girl was re-victimized not only by the society but also by the police officials’ insensitive attitude while handling such cases. In the last week of April, Police officials took her from Sheikhupura to Lahore (70 Km away) for DNA tests along with three of the rapists in the same vehicle; and there was no female constable with them during the journey and the medical test in the hospital. Clubbing the victim together with the perpetrators during traveling was meant to place immense psychological pressure on her. However, with the support of local civil society and women rights activists; the social and political pressure is being resisted so far.

Since then Nadia is struggling to return to a normal life and her family is facing immense social and financial problems. The entire family is completely shattered. Her father, Ghulam Rasool, a factory worker and sole bread earner of the family has lost his job after three months and later could only get a job as a daily wage earner. During the period of his unemployment the younger brother of the rape victim, Master Imran (16), sold himself to a dairy farm owner for Rs 50,000 (USD 540) where he is working 24 hours a day. He is given half an hour each for lunch and dinner at his house. Her cousin brother was beaten by the henchmen of the perpetrators to compel them to accept the settlement. He received eight stitches in his eye brows and two fingers of his right hand were fractured. He was kept bound in ropes for many hours at the place of Chaudry’s dera. He was released when his mother with the police reached the place. But the police have not taken any action against Chaudry for keeping him in illegal detention and injuring him.

It is very sad that Nadia, once a shining student of first year is unable to continue her studies and restrained within the four walls of the house. Highly frustrated, she does not know how to subsist her family, how to restart her studies and contest her case in the court. She desperately needs financial support. She could not appear before the annual examination which was held in the month of June and it has become difficult for her to continue her education. The police of the area and the perpetrators have created such an environment against her that she could not go outside the house. Her younger sister who worked as a maid to earn some money also had to leave her job and school as gangsters of the perpetrators pressured the employers and school teachers that as her sister was gang raped she has become a filthy woman. Nadia says that “I want justice and will pursue my case. I wish to continue my education. I have to leave my village now due to the constant threats from the accused parties and social pressure from relatives and neighbors.”

On the instructions of the Inspector General of Police the local authorities have provided her police guards outside her residence but they are also pressuring the family members to enter into a settlement with the perpetrators as they are powerful people and no one can fight with police and rangers. But she and her family are determined to fight for justice despite the provincial government being very indifferent on her efforts to get justice.

I urge you to write to the authorities listed to ensure justice for this poor victim and her family. Please provide protection to the rape victim and her family members and also punish the local police and Rangers for pressuring her for settlement with the perpetrators. Please also provide respectable employment for her father and brothers. The better option for the government is to shift her and her family members from the village and resettle them in a better place where the perpetrators cannot have access to them.

Yours sincerely,

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PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:

1. Mr. Asif Ali Zardari
President of Pakistan
President's Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92-51-9204801-9214171
Fax +92-51-9207458
Email: publicmail@president.gov.pk

2. Mr. Raja Pervez Ashraf
Prime Minister
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1596
Tel: +92 51 920 6111
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk or pspm@pmsectt.gov.pk

3. Federal Minister for Human Rights 

Ministry of Human Rights 

Old US Aid building 

Ata Turk Avenue 

G-5, Islamabad 

PAKISTAN 

Fax: +92 51 9204108 

Email: sarfraz_yousuf@yahoo.com

4. Mr. Lateef Khosa 

Governor of Punjab 

Governor House 

Mall Road 

Lahore 

PAKISTAN 

Fax: +92 42 99203044 

Email: governor.sectt@punjab.gov.pk

5. Mr. Justice Sh Azmat Saeed
Chief Justice of Punjab Province

Lahore High Court

Shahra-e-Quaid-e-Azam, Lahore 

PAKISTAN

Tel: +92 42 99212951-66

Fax: +92 42 99212279

Email: webmasterlhc@lhc.gov.pk

6. Mr. Shahbaz Shareef
Chief Minister 

Government of Punjab
Province
Chief Minister
Secretariat
5-Club Road

GOR-I, Lahore, Punnjab

PAKISTAN

Fax: +92 42 99205065

Email: cmcomplaintcell@cmpunjab.gov.pk

7. Dr. Faqir Hussain 

Registrar 

Supreme Court of Pakistan 

Constitution Avenue, Islamabad 

PAKISTAN 

Fax: +92 51 9213452 

Email: mail@supremecourt.gov


Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)

Document Type :
Urgent Appeal Case
Document ID :
AHRC-UAC-133-2012
Countries :
Issues :
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Extended Introduction: Urgent Appeals, theory and practice

A need for dialogue

Many people across Asia are frustrated by the widespread lack of respect for human rights in their countries.  Some may be unhappy about the limitations on the freedom of expression or restrictions on privacy, while some are affected by police brutality and military killings.  Many others are frustrated with the absence of rights on labour issues, the environment, gender and the like. 

Yet the expression of this frustration tends to stay firmly in the private sphere.  People complain among friends and family and within their social circles, but often on a low profile basis. This kind of public discourse is not usually an effective measure of the situation in a country because it is so hard to monitor. 

Though the media may cover the issues in a broad manner they rarely broadcast the private fears and anxieties of the average person.  And along with censorship – a common blight in Asia – there is also often a conscious attempt in the media to reflect a positive or at least sober mood at home, where expressions of domestic malcontent are discouraged as unfashionably unpatriotic. Talking about issues like torture is rarely encouraged in the public realm.

There may also be unwritten, possibly unconscious social taboos that stop the public reflection of private grievances.  Where authoritarian control is tight, sophisticated strategies are put into play by equally sophisticated media practices to keep complaints out of the public space, sometimes very subtly.  In other places an inner consensus is influenced by the privileged section of a society, which can control social expression of those less fortunate.  Moral and ethical qualms can also be an obstacle.

In this way, causes for complaint go unaddressed, un-discussed and unresolved and oppression in its many forms, self perpetuates.  For any action to arise out of private frustration, people need ways to get these issues into the public sphere.

Changing society

In the past bridging this gap was a formidable task; it relied on channels of public expression that required money and were therefore controlled by investors.  Printing presses were expensive, which blocked the gate to expression to anyone without money.  Except in times of revolution the media in Asia has tended to serve the well-off and sideline or misrepresent the poor.

Still, thanks to the IT revolution it is now possible to communicate with large audiences at little cost.  In this situation there is a real avenue for taking issues from private to public, regardless of the class or caste of the individual.

Practical action

The AHRC Urgent Appeals system was created to give a voice to those affected by human rights violations, and by doing so, to create a network of support and open avenues for action.  If X’s freedom of expression is denied, if Y is tortured by someone in power or if Z finds his or her labour rights abused, the incident can be swiftly and effectively broadcast and dealt with. The resulting solidarity can lead to action, resolution and change. And as more people understand their rights and follow suit, as the human rights consciousness grows, change happens faster. The Internet has become one of the human rights community’s most powerful tools.   

At the core of the Urgent Appeals Program is the recording of human rights violations at a grass roots level with objectivity, sympathy and competence. Our information is firstly gathered on the ground, close to the victim of the violation, and is then broadcast by a team of advocates, who can apply decades of experience in the field and a working knowledge of the international human rights arena. The flow of information – due to domestic restrictions – often goes from the source and out to the international community via our program, which then builds a pressure for action that steadily makes its way back to the source through his or her own government.   However these cases in bulk create a narrative – and this is most important aspect of our program. As noted by Sri Lankan human rights lawyer and director of the Asian Human Rights Commission, Basil Fernando:

"The urgent appeal introduces narrative as the driving force for social change. This idea was well expressed in the film Amistad, regarding the issue of slavery. The old man in the film, former president and lawyer, states that to resolve this historical problem it is very essential to know the narrative of the people. It was on this basis that a court case is conducted later. The AHRC establishes the narrative of human rights violations through the urgent appeals. If the narrative is right, the organisation will be doing all right."

Patterns start to emerge as violations are documented across the continent, allowing us to take a more authoritative, systemic response, and to pinpoint the systems within each country that are breaking down. This way we are able to discover and explain why and how violations take place, and how they can most effectively be addressed. On this path, larger audiences have opened up to us and become involved: international NGOs and think tanks, national human rights commissions and United Nations bodies.  The program and its coordinators have become a well-used tool for the international media and for human rights education programs. All this helps pave the way for radical reforms to improve, protect and to promote human rights in the region.