Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 19 year old woman was abducted, raped for more than a year and sold with the connivance of high officials of the police. The officials of the Citizen’s Police Liaison Committee (CPLC), a government agency, were pressuring the young woman and her family not to pursue the case as the perpetrators, particularly a lady who runs a Beauty Parlour, are powerful people who are capable of taking revenge.
The family of the victim is facing threats from the perpetrators and the police have refused to include the names of the perpetrators in her old FIR when she was abducted.
CASE NARRATIVE:
Ms. Parveen Bibi, daughter of Molazim Hussain, a maid by profession, belongs to a very poor family of Rahimyar Khan, Punjab province. Her father lost his eyesight ago in an accident. Parveen, with her mother was working as a domestic servant to run their household affairs. Increasing inflation, day to day expenses and reduced income dejected Parveen, she asked her maternal uncle to seek any reasonable job for her and, accompanied by her mother, came to Karachi to earn money and support her ailing father.
She started working in a school located in Gulistan-e-Johar, Karachi, capital of Sindh province, where she was paid Rs. 3,000.00 per month. Things were going well until she met with a lady named Rabiya, alias Natasha who offered her to work as maid in her home at Rs. 4000.00 per month. Parveen accepted her offer and her mother, Shamshad Bibi, handed her over Rabiya and returned to Rahimyar Khan to see her ailing husband.
Rabiya allegedly runs a brothel at her home in the name of a beauty parlour named “Midas Beauty Parlour”. Parveen was an attractive and beautiful young woman, which encouraged Rabiya to use her as a sex slave. Initially Parveen was supposed to work in the day time but gradually that lady increased her working hours, sometimes she was not allowed to go back home.
Rabiya’s unreasonable demands grew more and more day by day. Parveen was not allowed to go home for days at a stretch and was not even allowed to make calls. Rabiya started taking her to the beauty parlour and forced her to wear revealing clothing. The increasing favours and extraordinary behaviour baffled Parveen but she had to stay there as she needed the money.
Parveen had no idea that the sweet conduct was only a façade. Eventually Parveen realised what Rabiya had in mind for her but by then it was too late. Many times she tried to run away but every time she was stopped by the armed watchman. One unfortunate night she was led to a room where she was raped by a man who paid Rs. 50,000.00 to Rabiya. When she resisted Parveen was brutally abused and assaulted.
This went on for some time and she was raped by 10-15 men every week. Whenever she tried to resist she was made to drink alcohol or forced to ingest sleeping pills. She was then sold off to a pimp named Shakir Hussain; who allegedly assaulted and raped her and used her for many awful activities for more than a year in a flat in Qayumabad. He sold her off many times to various people from the neighborhood and if she resisted in any way she was beaten. After some time Parveen lost all hope. She had accepted her fate, and would move without a word from one place to another with her kidnappers.
While Parveen was going through her ordeal her family, including her uncle Altaf Hussain, were searching for her anxiously. When Parveen’s mother came back from Rahimyar Khan on Friday 8 October 2010, she went to see her daughter at Rabiya’s house and found her missing. On being questioned, Rabiya said that she knew nothing about Parveen except that she ran away and got married to someone.
They approached to the Sachal Police Station to register their complaints but the ASI Ahmed Ali Shah refused to take the case after accepting Rs. 20,000.00 from the perpetrator. This left Altaf Hussain with no place to turn to in order to save his niece from more humiliation. Initially the police was reluctant to enroll their case, but after persuasive efforts by Altaf Hussain on 14 October 2010 they registered an FIR against Rabiya alias Natasha.
Despite the passing of several days the police made no progress in the case. Eventually some five months after Parveen’s kidnapping, Altaf managed to convince a police officer to at least come with him to Rabiya’s home. On reaching there, she informed them that Parveen had stolen valuable artifacts from her and then run away.
On 9 October 2011 at around 12am, almost one year later, Altaf Hussain received a telephone call from his niece. She informed him that she has got married on her own will and requested him not to bother Rabiya about her. However, she was crying badly and refused to say anything more before hanging up the phone. Altaf found out the details of the public booth from where Parveen made the call and came to know that she had been accompanied by a woman and four men. He then went to Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) to seek help. He met with Mr. Ahmed Chanai; Chief of CPLC who called up Rabiya and pressurized her to inform him about Parveen Bibi.
Later Altaf Hussain received a call from an anonymous caller that Parveen had been recovered by officers of the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) in a shanty home in Shadman Town of North Nazimabad and was sent back to her home in Rahimyar Khan. Altaf Hussain approached Mr. Chanai to get Parveen medical for further action and was told not to pursue the case. He was told to compromise as the woman has been recovered. The perpetrators, he was told, are very powerful having strong contacts with other influential people so it was better to let it go and if he really wanted to pursue it then he had to do of his own.
Altaf Hussain also received telephone calls from ASI Saleem Cheema to withdraw the case and wind up this issue. Altaf Hussain showed his deep concern and apprehension on this issue. According to him there are around 11-12 woman being held against their will by Rabiya. The police, however, are doing nothing because ASI Ahmed Ali Shah is also equally involved in this case.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Woman in our society are a commodity, they are treated as piece of furniture being sold every corner of the street. Violence against women is common in rural areas, but now it is rapidly increasing in urban areas too. As many as 80% of Pakistani women suffer from violence due to severe poverty in the rural areas which compelled Parveen and her family to shift to Karachi. Women are the second class citizen in Pakistan, in fact, they are not considered to be citizens by the police and the sections of the judiciary. In order to make things better there has to be huge improvement in education, economic and the institutions.
Court proceedings are a tiring process. Usually the matter is either compounded or is not taken up by the family at all for the fear of threats. Those who reach the courts are made to run after inconsequential details that weaken the victim’s stance in the case.
In some cases, the sexual act is recorded by the kidnappers. Most of the families do not come up because there is a fear that the details will be made public on the internet, which would further tarnish the image of a victim.
The frequency of such cases shows how discreetly and systematically all of this is done. Such people will never admit to having done anything wrong. There is a huge market for selling off women or minor women to the gulf countries or Indonesia.
Though a First Information Report (FIR) under section 365-B has been registered, according to which the case will be taken up in sessions court, but it should be noted that if the FIR had been registered in an anti-terrorism court, the results would have been speedier.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write the letters, mentioned below, to the authorities calling for prompt action in the abduction and rape of a young innocent woman. Please urge them to arrest the perpetrators and prosecute the CPLC and the local police for its negligence in taking prompt action against the powerful people. The victim’s family should be compensated and provided by life and social security. We urge your prompt intervention in this case so that the authorities can take up this case and prosecute the police for its negligence and alleged involvement in the prevailing case. I urge you to order the concerned authorities to conduct an urgent inquiry into the matter of the abduction of the other women as notified by the complainant. The perpetrators should be arrested immediately without any impunity and the victim should be provided medical treatment for her ordeal and compensation should be made to their family.
The AHRC is writing a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women calling for her intervention into this matter.
To support this appeal, please click here:
To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER
SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
PAKISTAN: A young woman released after a year of assault, abuse and rape
Name of victim: Ms. Parveen Bibi, daughter of Mr. Molazim Hussain, aged around 21 years, resident of Kuchi Abadi Block 12, Gulistan-e-Johar behind Saima view, Kamran Chorungi, Karachi
Names of alleged perpetrators:
1. Ms. Rabiya alias Natasha, resident of R-56 Sunlay Banglows, Sector-34/A, Scheme-33, Safora Goth, Gulistan-e-Johar, Karachi
2. Mr. Shakir Hussain, resident of Qayumabad, near Sir Syed Hospital, Karachi
Date of incident: 2 October 2010
Place of incident: Rabiya's house, R-56 Sunlay Banglows, Sector-34/A, Scheme-33, Safora Goth, Gulistan-e-Johar, Karachi, Pakistan.
I am writing to voice my deep concern regarding the rape of 19-year- old woman who was abducted and assaulted by the perpetrator and was recovered after one year of abuse.
According to the information I received, Parveen Bibi daughter of Molazim Hussain belonged to a very poor family of Rahimyar Khan, Punjab. Her father lost his eyesight ago in an accident. Parveen, with her mother was working as a domestic servant to run their household affairs. Increasing inflation, day to day expenses and reduced income dejected Parveen, she asked her maternal uncle to seek any reasonable job for her and, accompanied by her mother, came to Karachi to earn money and support her ailing father.
She started working in a school located in Gulistan-e-Johar, Karachi, capital of Sindh province, where she was paid Rs. 3,000.00 per month. Things were going well until she met with a lady named Rabiya, alias Natasha who offered her to work as maid in her home at Rs. 4000.00 per month. Parveen accepted her offer and her mother, Shamshad Bibi, handed her over Rabiya and returned to Rahimyar Khan to see her ailing husband.
I was informed that Rabiya allegedly runs a brothel at her home in the name of a beauty parlour named "Midas Beauty Parlour". Parveen was an attractive and beautiful young woman, which encouraged Rabiya to use her as a sex slave. Initially Parveen was supposed to work in the day time but gradually that lady increased her working hours, sometimes she was not allowed to go back home.
Rabiya's unreasonable demands grew more and more day by day. Parveen was not allowed to go home for days at a stretch and was not even allowed to make calls. Rabiya started taking her to the beauty parlour and forced her to wear revealing clothing. The increasing favours and extraordinary behaviour baffled Parveen but she had to stay there as she needed the money.
Parveen had no idea that the sweet conduct was only a façade. Eventually Parveen realised what Rabiya had in mind for her but by then it was too late. Many times she tried to run away but every time she was stopped by the armed watchman. One unfortunate night she was led to a room where she was raped by a man who paid Rs. 50,000.00 to Rabiya. When she resisted Parveen was brutally abused and assaulted.
This went on for some time and she was raped by 10-15 men every week. Whenever she tried to resist she was made to drink alcohol or forced to ingest sleeping pills. She was then sold off to a pimp named Shakir Hussain; who allegedly assaulted and raped her and used her for many awful activities for more than a year in a flat in Qayumabad. He sold her off many times to various people from the neighborhood and if she resisted in any way she was beaten. After some time Parveen lost all hope. She had accepted her fate, and would move without a word from one place to another with her kidnappers.
While Parveen was going through her ordeal her family, including her uncle Altaf Hussain, were searching for her anxiously. When Parveen's mother came back from Rahimyar Khan on Friday 8 October 2010, she went to see her daughter at Rabiya's house and found her missing. On being questioned, Rabiya said that she knew nothing about Parveen except that she ran away and got married to someone.
I am shocked to know when they approached to the Sachal Police Station to register their complaints but the ASI Ahmed Ali Shah refused to take the case after accepting Rs. 20,000.00 from the perpetrator. This left Altaf Hussain with no place to turn to in order to save his niece from more humiliation. Initially the police was reluctant to enroll their case, but after persuasive efforts by Altaf Hussain on 14 October 2010 they registered an FIR against Rabiya alias Natasha.
Despite the passing of several days the police made no progress in the case. Eventually some five months after Parveen's kidnapping, Altaf managed to convince a police officer to at least come with him to Rabiya's home. On reaching there, she informed them that Parveen had stolen valuable artifacts from her and then run away.
According to the information received, on 9 October 2011 at around 12am, almost one year later, Altaf Hussain received a telephone call from his niece. She informed him that she has got married on her own will and requested him not to bother Rabiya about her. However, she was crying badly and refused to say anything more before hanging up the phone. Altaf found out the details of the public booth from where Parveen made the call and came to know that she had been accompanied by a woman and four men. He then went to Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) to seek help. He met with Mr. Ahmed Chanai; Chief of CPLC who called up Rabiya and pressurized her to inform him about Parveen Bibi.
Later Altaf Hussain received a call from an anonymous caller that Parveen had been recovered by officers of the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) in a shanty home in Shadman Town of North Nazimabad and was sent back to her home in Rahimyar Khan. Altaf Hussain approached Mr. Chanai to get Parveen medical for further action and was told not to pursue the case. He was told to compromise as the woman has been recovered. The perpetrators, he was told, are very powerful having strong contacts with other influential people so it was better to let it go and if he really wanted to pursue it then he had to do of his own.
A very serious concern for me is that, Altaf Hussain also received telephone calls from ASI Saleem Chheema to withdraw the case and wind up this issue. Altaf Hussain showed his deep concern and apprehension on this issue. According to him there are around 11-12 woman being held against their will by Rabiya. The police, however, are doing nothing because ASI Ahmed Ali Shah is also equally involved in this case.
I am appalled that until now no accused person has been arrested and the police are providing protection to the perpetrators. I therefore urge you to arrest the perpetrators and prosecute the CPLC officials and local police for their negligence in taking prompt action and presurising the victim not to peruse the case against the perpetrators as they are very powerful people. We urge your prompt intervention in this case so that the authorities can take up this case and prosecute the police for its negligence and alleged involvement in the prevailing case. I urge you to order the concerned authorities to conduct an urgent inquiry into the matter of the abduction of the other women as notified by the complainant. The perpetrators should be arrested immediately without any impunity and the victim should be provided medical treatment for her ordeal and compensation should be made to their family.
Yours sincerely,
----------------
PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
1. Mr. Asif Ali Zardari
President
President's Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel:+ 92-51-9204801-9214171
Fax: + 92-51-9207458
Email: publicmail@president.gov.pk
2. Mr. Yousuf Raza Gillani
Prime Minister
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 1596
Tel: +92 51 920 6111
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.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: sarfaraz_yousuf@yahoo.com
4. Dr. Faqir Hussain
Registrar
Supreme Court of Pakistan
Constitution Avenue, Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9213452
E-mail: mail@supremecourt.gov.pk
5. Mr. Rehman Malik
Minister for Interior
R Block Pak Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 51 9212026 +92 51 9212026
Fax: +92 51 9202624
E-mail: ministry.interior@gmail.com or interior.complaintcell@gmail.com
6. Dr. Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan
Governor of Sindh province
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 5043
Tel: +92 21 920 1201 +92 21 920 1201 +92 21 920 1201 +92 21 920 1201
E-mail: governor@governorsindh.gov.pk
7. Syed Qaim Ali Shah
Chief Minister
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 2000
Email: pressecy@cmsindh.gov.pk
8. Mr. Justice Musheer Alam
The Chief Justice of Sindh High Court
High Court Building
Saddar, Karachi
Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9213220
E-mail: registrar@sindhhighcourt.gov.pk
9. 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 +92 21 9207043 +92 21 9207043
E-mail: lukshmil@yahoo.com
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
