Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received updated information on the gang rape of a 14 year old girl (For further details, please see the original appeal: AHRC-UAC-064-2010). The victim’s uncle, who was the complainant in the case, was gunned down by the accused persons who were accused by names in the rape case. There were two previous attacks before the cold-blooded murder and the police have refused to take action against the killers. The accused persons of the gang rape also attacked three members of the family of the deceased with firearms, causing them injuries. It is alleged that a member of parliament from the ruling party is forcing the police not to take action against the perpetrators.
UPDATED INFORMATION:
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) issued an urgent appeal in 2010 about the gang rape of a 14-year-old girl by eight armed men in presence of the Johi police, Dadu district, Sindh province. After the incident of gang-rape the chief justice of Sindh High Court took action and asked the police to file cases against the rapists. It was only then that the administration allowed the filing of the First Information Report (FIR) after transferring some police officials. But these efforts by the administration did not help the victim and her family members. After two years of the gang rape the police have arrested only one person and other persons received bail from the courts because of the weak case from the prosecution. The perpetrators, with the patronage of the police and tribal leader, Dattal Jamali and Rafiq Jamali, a member of the National Assembly from the ruling party, the Pakistan People’s Party and former chief of the town, Zakir Khan Jamali, were using all possible pressure on the family of the victim and villagers. For further details, please see the previous Urgent Appeal, which had been issued in 2010: AHRC-UAC-064-2010.
Mr. Ghulam Mustafa Laghari, the uncle of the rape victim, was gunned down on March 28 when he was going to Johi, sub district from his village. He was the complainant in the FIR regarding the case of gang rape of Zulekha and named the rapists. He was allegedly attacked by the same accused persons who were mentioned in the police case. The attackers were on motor bikes and they sprayed him with bullets. The names of the killers are: Ali Hassan Laghari, Ayube, Allah Ditto, Mehboob Jamali, Umer Jamali, Aslam Laghari and Ibrahim Laghari. The deceased was attacked on two earlier occasions in February and March 2012. His cousin Mr. Rustam and nephew Mr. Muhammad Usman were also attacked by the perpetrators and were injured.
The deceased, Ghulam Mustafa Laghari, was pressured many times by a member of the National Assembly and a tribal leader to withdraw the cases against the perpetrators but he refused. Just 10 days before his murder he was attacked with fire arms and was injured. The local police refused to file any case against the perpetrators. In the case of the gang rape eight persons including Ghulam Mustafa Laghari had submitted their statements before the session court. The statements from Ghulam and Zulekha were very important in the case which proved the involvement of the perpetrators in the gang rape. One investigation officer of the police, assistant sub inspector Sain Rakhio of Johi police station also recorded his statement and he testified that all the perpetrators were involved. This provoked the members of the national assembly, tribal leaders and perpetrators to attack and kill the complainant to send a message to the family members of the victim to withdraw the cases against them. To-date the police have not filed a case regarding the murder of Ghulam Mustafa.
In the cases of gang rape it is observed that the close relatives of the victims who were actively following the cases were gunned downed by the perpetrators after released on the bail from the courts. In the case of Kainat Soomro, 13 year, who was gang raped in 2007, her brother was gunned down when he was trevelling to Balochistan province by the same perpetrators. In another case of Uzma Ayub, who was raped in the custody for one year by the police officials and one army soldier, her brother was also gunned downed in the Peshawar high court premises in year 2012.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please write the letters to the given below authorities calling them to prosecute the police officials of Johi police station of Dadu district and also the district police officer of the Dadu, Sindh province for patronizing the perpetrators of the gang rape case of Zulekha Laghari, who are intimidating and coercing the family members of the victim of gang rape and had murdered the main complainant to eliminate the evidences of gang rape. Please also urge them to take strong action against the land lord, Dattal Jamali, member of the national assembly, Rafiq Jamali and their henchmen for unleashing their terror on the family members of victim and the villagers who are the witness to the gang rape of a girl in the presence of police.
The AHRC writes a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women calling for his intervention into this matter.
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SAMPLE LETTER
Dear ___________,
PAKISTAN: Perpetrators of a gang-rape case murdered its complainant for forcing the withdrawal of the rape case due to police inaction
Name of victims of the latest incident:
1. Mr. Ghulam Mustafa Laghari
2. Mr. Rustam Laghari
3. Mr. Mohammad Usman
All are resident of village Bachal Leghari, Taluka Johi, district Dadu, Sindh province
Names of alleged perpetrators:
1. Mr. Rafiq Jamali, member of National Assembly, resident of Johi, Dadu district, Sindh province
2. Mr. Dattul Laghari
3. Mr. Hassan Jamali
4. Mr. Allah Ditto
5. Mr. Mohammad Ayube Laghari
6. Mr. Mahboob Jamali
7. Mr. Mohammad Umar Jamali
All are residents of village Bachal Leghari, Taluka Johi, Dadu district, Sindh province
8. Mr. Allah Rakhio,deputy superintendent police (DSP), Taluka Johi, Dadu district, Sindh Province
Date of incident: 28 March 2012
Place of incident: Taluqa Johi, Dadu district, Sindh Province
I am appalled to learn that the uncle and complainant in the case of the rape of a 14-year-old girl was gunned down by the accused persons in the case. The girl was raped by eight armed men in the presence of the Johi police, Dadu district, Sindh province.
It is very disturbing to learn that the police failed to take action and it was only after the chief justice of Sindh High Court took action that the police filed cases against the rapists. Also, it was only then that the administration allowed the filing of the First Information Report (FIR) after transferring some police officials. But these efforts by the administration did not help the victim and her family members. After two years of the gang rape the police have arrested only one person and other persons received bails from the courts because of the weak case from the prosecution. The perpetrators, with the patronage of the police and tribal leader, Dattal Jamali and Rafiq Jamali, a member of National Assembly from the ruling party, the Pakistan People's Party and formal chief of the town, Zakir Khan Jamali, were using all possible pressure on the family of victim and villagers. For further details, please see the previous Urgent Appeal, which had been issued in 2010: AHRC-UAC-064-2010.
Mr. Ghulam Mustafa Laghari, the uncle of the rape victim, was gunned down on March 28 when he was going to Johi, sub district from his village. He was the complainant in the FIR in case of gang rape of Zulekha and named the rapists. He was allegedly attacked by the same accused persons who were mentioned in the police case. The attackers were on the motor bikes and they sprayed him with bullets. The names of the killers are: Ali Hassan Laghari, Ayube, Allah ditto, Mehboob Jamali, Umer Jamali, Aslam Laghari and Ibrahim Laghari. The deceased was attacked on two earlier occasions in February and March 2012. His cousin Mr. Rustam and nephew Mr. Muhammad Usman were also attacked by the perpetrators and were injured.
The deceased, Ghulam Mustafa Laghari, was pressured many times from a member of National Assembly and a tribal leader to withdraw the cases against the perpetrators but he refused. Just 10 days before his murder he was attacked with fire arms and he was injured. The local police refused to file any case against perpetrators. In the case of gang rape eight persons including Ghulam Mustafa Laghari had submitted their statements before the session court. The statements from Ghulam and Zulekha were very important in the case which proved the involvement of perpetrators in the gang rape. One investigation officer of the police, assistant sub inspector Sain Rakhio of Johi police station also recorded his statement and he testified that all the perpetrators were involved. This provoked the members of the national assembly, tribal leaders and perpetrators to attack and kill the complainant to send a message to the family members of the victim to withdraw the case against them. To-date the police have not filed a case regarding the murder of Ghulam Mustafa.
Furthermore, I am disgusted to learn that in the cases of gang rape it is observed that the close relatives of the victims who were actively following the cases were gunned downed by the perpetrators after released on the bail from the courts. In the case of Kainat Soomro, 13 year, who was gang raped in 2007, her brother was gunned down when he was trevelling to Balochistan province by the same perpetrators. In another case of Uzma Ayub, who was raped in the custody for one year by the police officials and one army soldier, her brother was also gunned downed in the Peshawar high court premises in year 2012.
I therefore urge the authorities to prosecute the police officials of Johi police station of Dadu district and also the district police officer of the Dadu, Sindh province for patronizing the perpetrators of the gang rape case of Zulekha Laghari, who are intimidating and coercing the family members of the victim of gang rape and had murdered the main complainant to eliminate the evidences of gang rape. Please also take action against the landlord, Dattal Jamali, member of the national assembly, Rafiq Jamali and their henchmen for unleashing their terror on the family members of victim and the villagers who are the witness to the gang rape of a girl in the presence of police.
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. Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani
Prime Minister of Pakistan
Prime Minister House
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: + 92 51 9221596
E-mail: secretary@cabinet.gov.pk
3. Syed Qaim Ali Shah
Chief Minister
Karachi, Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 920 2000
E-mail: pppsindh@yahoo.com
4. 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
E-mail: lukshmil@yahoo.com
5. 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
6. Chief Justice of Sindh High Court
High Court Building
Saddar, Karachi
Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 21 9213220
E-mail: registrar@sindhhighcourt.gov.pk
Thank you.
Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrc.asia)
