A 16-year-old girl, who was gang raped by 11 persons, has been thrown out of her safe house by officials of the Sindh police, Pakistan. On Sunday, June 24, 2007 Mr. Rana Pervez, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Police Headquarters along with Station Head Officer (SHO) of Garden police station and other police officials, forcibly entered the apartment, where the victim and her parents were staying. Their personal effects were thrown out into the street and then the officials manhandled the victim and her parents, pushing them out of the building. The victim and her family are on the streets of Karachi, they can not return to their village as main perpetrators are free and enjoying the protection from the police and on a provincial minister.
The police officials have been trying to get vacant possession of the house for several months now. It was earlier provided by the Governor of Sindh province. On 21 June 2007, police officers of the Garden police station arrived at the safe house and started throwing the family’s household possessions out of the house. Due to the intervention of political activists and members of the Sindh Assembly, the police were forced to stop their action. (Please see our urgent appeal UP-89-2007)
On 27 January 2007, 16-year-old Miss Nasima Labano was raped by 11 men in Habib Labano village, Union Council Lagho, Ubaro Town, Ghotki District, Sindh province, Pakistan. No proper police investigation has been initiated into this case due to alleged pressure from a Minister of Sindh provincial government, who is connected to the perpetrators. The police simply arrested five out of 11 persons for a simple inquiry based on the complaint by the girl’s father in order to calm the protests of the local people. The perpetrators continue remain to make severe threats to the victim and her family. (For details, see also: UA-039-2007)
When the local community and human rights organisations began protesting against the failed action of the police to arrest the alleged perpetrators, the governor of the Sindh province sent the young girl away to Karachi into a safe house. However, on 26 March 2007, after staying only one and a half months at the residence, the family was ordered by the provincial home ministry to vacate the house and return to their village. On the intervention of AHRC and other civil society organisations, including some political leaders, the family was allowed to remain in the safe house. The perpetrators continue to make threats to the victim’s family that once they return to their village, they will be killed. They have also arranged for a Jirga (an illegal private tribal court) to punish the victim for defamation. This was duly informed to the government but no action has yet been taken. (For details, see also our updated appeal: UP-043-2007).
It has also been reported in the local media that the arrested accused persons are enjoying full liberty during their custody in Obaro District prison, Sindh. According to press reports these arrested persons are occasionally being sent home from prison on the pretext that they are being sent to hospital for treatment.
The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns the action of the police officials of Sindh province, Pakistan against the victim of a gang rape. This action is directed to make the young girl vulnerable before the perpetrators who are powerful in the area. Furthermore, due to the nexus between the police and some provincial ministers, the main perpetrators have still not been arrested, even several months after the incident. The AHRC urges the Pakistani authorities to provide full protection to the victim and her family who are, at this moment, at the mercy of the perpetrators. A Jirga ( a private and illegal tribal court) has already decided to deal with victim and her family for bring disrepute to the Labano tribe. The police action against a gang rape victim shows that they are, in fact, much more powerful than the Governor of Sindh.
The AHRC is concerned that the victim may be abducted and killed by the perpetrators as the police are working under the pressure of a minister.
The AHRC urges the government of President General Musharraf to provide the victim and her family full protection according to laws of Pakistan and the UN charter of Human Rights. The victim of a gang raped should be paid compensation and she should be rehabilitated as a respectable citizen of Pakistan.
