Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a women’s rights defender has been killed by her husband, who acted with the connivance of a police head constable. The local police held an internal inquiry and exonerated the police constable, going so far as to say that there was no such murder. The woman’s body was chopped up and her eyes were gouged out, but police have not even examined how she was killed; they just claim she was not murdered. The victim’s sister and her nephew have been declared to be mentally ill persons. The husband is hiding after the incident and police have not yet started any attempts to find him. High-ranking police officials are protecting the killers.
CASE NARRATIVE:
Ms. Shamim Akhter (50), resident of House No 921 Hazara Colony, Hali road Hyderabad, who worked for the Social Welfare organization, in Tando Jam, Sindh province, was brutally killed by her husband Mr. Sajid Mahmood on 4 June 2013. Mahmood was the cousin of Ms. Akhter. They had been married for 13 years and had no children. Mahmood was a rickshaw (three-wheeler vehicle) driver. The three-wheeler was the property of his wife and his sister-in-law Ms. Tasleem. Mahmood lived with his wife in Ms.Tasleem’s house as tenants.
According to the Daily Express Tribune, on 4 June Ms. Shamim Akhtar was at home alone when her husband Mahmood, with the assistance of his close friend Police Constable Mr. Usman Lodhi, entered her home at around 4 or 5 p.m. and attacked her. They held Ms. Shamim down and chopped off her hands, ears and fingers to get the golden bangles, earrings and rings she was wearing at the time of the incident. After mutilating her body, they gouged out both her eyes and ran away with the looted jewelry and Pak Rs. 250,000 in cash (USD2500). On the day of the incident, when Ehtesham (the victim’s nephew) went to visit his aunt (his father’s sister, Ms. Shamim), he saw Usman Lodhi, the afore mentioned Police Constable, coming out from the house. He also saw Mahmood coming out later and running away quickly. When Ehtesham went inside, he saw his aunt lying on the floor with severe injuries all over her whole body and blood oozing from the injuries. He took his aunt to a civil hospital in Hyderabad but she lost her life as the injuries were severe.
Ms. Shamim Akhtar was working with an NGO called the Social Welfare organization, in Tando Jam, Sindh, and she got her pay two days before the incident. According to her sister Ms.Tasleem, the victim and her husband were happy and there was no conflict between them regarding anything. On some occasions her husband got angry about giving away food; when the neighbors’ children came to her house and ate, her husband did not like it, or if she gave food to her siblings, her husband got angry.
The police have been informed about this brutal attack. However, they have not taken any steps to look into this case. Ms. Tasleem, the victim’s sister, recorded some evidence about the killing, such as video clips after the incident and pictures of the victim, house and conditions. On the day of the incident, Ms. Tasleem and her nephew led a protest and brought the dead body in front of the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hyderabad. They demanded the arrest of those who killed Ms. Shamim Akhtar. The Station House officer (SHO) threatened to arrest them and demanded that they remove dead body from road. Ms. Tasleem demanded justice for her sister, demanding that the police arrest the known killers and recover her looted possessions. Ms. Tasleem presented documented evidence in the form of a CD to the Hali Road police station, Hyderabad, but they refused to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against the murderers.
As a police constable was involved in the case, the police wanted to protect him. On the next day, the Assistant Sub-Inspector of police posted at the Hali police station, ASI Mohammad Tufail, demanded a bribe for filing the FIR. The deal was settled, according to Tasleem, at Rupees 3300 for the registration of the case against the police constable Usman Lodhi and the deceased’s husband. The FIR is number 44/2013, registered under sections 302, 380, 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The Hyderabad police also arrested Constable Lodhi. He remained in police custody for seven days. The police manipulated the case of murder by using an internal inquiry, conducted by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), which exonerated Constable Lodhi on the false grounds that prosecution witnesses have denied that there was any murder. The SSP issued the inquiry report and said that there was no murder.
The nephew of the victim challenged the inquiry report before the court of a Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate, Hyderabad 8, where the case is pending. The local police released the accused constable. The local police are threatening to kill Ms. Tasleem (the victim’s sister) and her nephew if they do not withdraw the case.
The Hyderabad police have not started investigations into the death of the victim. Police claim that she was not murdered, and are not inquiring into how she died. The police and the local courts are silent on the death of the victim, despite seeing her mutilated body.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write a letter to the following authorities, calling on them to initiate inquiries into the case of the brutal murder of Ms. Shamim Akhtar by her husband and a police constable. Please urge them to prosecute the high-ranking police officials of Hyderabad districts who deny that she was murdered and are preventing any investigation. The Sindh government must provide justice and compensation to the victim and her family, and the court has to recover Shamim’s belongings, which were looted by the police constable Mr. Usman Lodhi and her husband Mr. Sajid Mahmood.
The AHRC is writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Question of Violence against women calling for his intervention into this matter.
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
PAKISTAN: A women’s rights defender has been brutally killed by her husband and a police official
Name of victim:
1. Ms.Shamim Akhter, resident of House No 921 Hazara Colony, Hali road Hyderabad, Sindh Province,
2. Ms.Tasleem Akhter, resident of House No 921 Hazara Colony, Hali road Hyderabad, Sindh Province,
3. Mr. Ehtisham resident of 924 Hazara Colony, American Quarter Hyderabad.
Names of alleged perpetrators:
1.Mr. Usman Lodhi, Police Constibal at Hali Road Police Station Hyderabad, Sindh
2. Mr. Sajid Khan, resident of House No 921 Hazara Colony, Hali road Hyderabad, Sindh Province,
3. ASP/SDPO, Cantt Hyderabad Sindh
4. Mr. Tariq Qureshi, Station House Officer (SHO) of Hali road police station
5. Senior Superintendent Of Police, Hyderabad Sindh
Date of incident: 4 June 2013
Place of incident: Hazara Colony, Hali Road, Hyderabad
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the brutal murder of a women rights defender by her husband and a police constable. The Hyderabad police have provided protection to the police constable who helped her husband to kill his wife.
It is shocking for me that police through its internal inquiry exonerated the accused persons and declared that the victim lady was not murdered. The police also have not initiated any investigation in the death of the victim; in fact, they have closed the case.
I am informed that Ms. Shamim Akhter (50 years old, resident of Hazara Colony, Hali road Hyderabad, working for the Social Welfare organization, in Tando Jam, Sindh province) was brutally killed by her husband Mr. Sajid Mahmood on 4 June 2013. Mahmood was the cousin of Ms. Akhter. They were married for 13 years and had no children. Mahmood was a rickshaw (three-wheeler vehicle) driver. The three-wheeler was the property of his wife and his sister-in-law Ms. Tasleem. Mahmood lived with his wife in Ms.Tasleem’s house as tenants.
I received information from the Daily Express Tribune that on 4 June Ms. Shamim Akhtar was at home alone when her husband Mahmood, with the assistance of his close friend Police Constable Mr. Usman Lodhi, entered her home at around 4 and 5 p.m. and attacked her. They held Ms. Shamim down and chopped at her hands, ears and fingers for the golden bangles, earrings and rings she was wearing at the time of the incident. After chopping up her body, they gouged out both her eyes and ran away with the looted jewelry and Pak Rs. 250,000 in cash (USD2500). On the day of the incident, when Ehtesham (the victim’s nephew) went to visit his aunt (his father’s sister, Ms. Shamim), he saw Usman Lodhi, the aforementioned Police Constable, coming out from the house. He also saw Mahmood come out later and run away quickly. When Ehtesham went inside, he saw his aunt lying on the floor with severe injuries all over her whole body and blood oozing from the injuries. He took his aunt to a civil hospital in Hyderabad but she lost her life as the injuries were severe.
Ms. Shamim Akhtar was working with an NGO called the Social Welfare organization, in Tando Jam, Sindh, and she got her pay two days before the incident. According to her sister Ms.Tasleem, the victim and her husband were happy and there was no conflict between them regarding anything. On some occasions her husband got angry about giving away food; when the neighbors’ children came to her house and ate, her husband did not like it, or if she gave food to her siblings, her husband got angry.
I am appalled to learn that the police have not taken any steps to look into this case. Ms. Tasleem, the victim’s sister, recorded some evidence about the killing, such as video clips after the incident and pictures of the victim, house and conditions. On the day of the incident, Ms. Tasleem and her nephew led a protest and brought the dead body in front of the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Hyderabad. They demanded the arrest of those who killed Ms. Shamim Akhtar. The Station House officer (SHO) threatened to arrest them and demanded that they remove dead body from road. Ms. Tasleem demanded justice for her sister, demanding that the police arrest the known killers and recover her looted possessions. Ms. Tasleem presented documented evidence in the form of a CD to the Hali Road police station, Hyderabad, but they refused to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against the murderers.
As a police constable was involved in the case, the police wanted to protect him. On the next day, the Assistant Sub-Inspector of police posted at the Hali police station, ASI Mohammad Tufail, demanded a bribe for filing the FIR. The deal was settled, according to Tasleem, at Rupees 3300 for the registration of the case against the police constable Usman Lodhi and the deceased’s husband. The FIR is number 44/2013, registered under sections 302, 380, 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The Hyderabad police also arrested Constable Lodhi. He remained in police custody for seven days. The police manipulated the case of murder by using an internal inquiry, conducted by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), which exonerated Constable Lodhi on the false grounds that prosecution witnesses have denied that there was any murder. The SSP issued the inquiry report and said that there was no murder.
The nephew of the victim challenged the inquiry report before the court of a Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate, Hyderabad 8, where the case is pending. The local police released the accused constable. The local police are threatening to kill Ms. Tasleem (the victim’s sister) and her nephew if they do not withdraw the case.
The Hyderabad police have not started investigations into the death of the victim. Police claim that she was not murdered, and are not inquiring into how she died. The police and the local courts are silent on the death of the victim, despite seeing her mutilated body.
I therefore urge you to initiate inquiries into the case of the brutal murder of Ms. Shamim Akhtar by her husband and a police constable. I also urge you to prosecute the high-ranking police officials of Hyderabad who deny that she was murdered and are preventing any investigation. The Sindh government must provide justice and compensation to the victim and her family, and the court has to recover Shamim’s belongings, which were looted by the police constable Mr. Usman Lodhi and her husband Mr. Sajid Mahmood.
Yours sincerely,
—————-
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
Address list
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. Mian Nawaz Sharif
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 of Law
Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights
Old US Aid building
Ata Turk Avenue
G-5, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9204108
Email: sarfraz_yousuf@yahoo.com
4. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 9213452
Email: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk
5. Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan
Governor of Sindh province
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 5043
Tel: +92 21 920 1201
E-mail: governor@governorsindh.gov.pk
6. Syed Qaim Ali Shah
Chief Minister
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 2000
Email: pressecy@cmsindh.gov.pk
7. Mr. Justice Mushir Alam,
Chief Justice of Sindh High Court
High Court Building
Saddar, Karachi
Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9213220
E-mail: info@sindhhighcourt.gov.pk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
