Rights activists demand justice to a lady victim

KARACHI:Human rights, women’s rights and civil society activists on Thursday demanded the government, Sindh police and the concerned courts to provide justice to a social worker of Delhi Colony, Karachi Ms. Salma Rubi Bandhani as she was misbehaved and tortured allegedly by a local political influential person belonging to the ruling political party and his accomplices.

Addressing a joint press conference at Karachi Press Club (KPC), the rights activists demanded to arrest the accused nominated in the case. They pointed out that the local police were not cooperating in the case despite the fact an FIR has been registered under sections 147, 149, 354 A, 506 B, 504, 337 A, 109 of PPC. The lady social worker is being threatened of dire consequences by the accused if she did not stop raising voice.

The rights activists feared that the life of the victim is in danger as the influential persons of Delhi Colony area are threatening her. The victim lady has already got registered a First Information Report (FIR) in the Frere Police Station, in South District of Karachi. The victim lady was also present at the press conference along with her son.

According to the victim Ms. Salma Bandhani the accused namely Abu Talat who belongs to PTI along with his accomplices Aryan, Ehtisham, Zeeshan, Faheem and others accompanied with a plumber Sohail were trying to install illegal water connections in Dehli Colony near Zubeida Centre on 15th April at around 1.00 am in the night. She along with other neighbours tried to stop them and also called on Police Hotline 15 for help.

The police reprimanded the accused and asked them not to install new connections till the Water Board staff will not decide in the morning. She stated that after police intervention she left for home. But at around 4.30 am the accused Abu Talat came to her house and informed that the Water Board staff has given them permission to install connection so she should not interfere in their work anymore.

She said she chased them to the site along with her son Mohammad Dawood where the accused were trying to install water connections at the same place. When she tried to stop them, the accused attacked her and resorted to torture. They tore apart her clothes and left her injured in a semi-naked condition. They also beaten her son and severely injured him, she stated.

Ms Bandhani accused that the local elected legislators MPA Shahzad Qureshi and MNA Aftab Qureshi both belonging to Pakistan Tahrik-e-Insaf (PTI) are supporting the accused, nominated in the FIR. Due to their pressure the police is not taking action on the FIR, she accused.

Ms Anis Haroon, Member of National Commission for Human Rights; Justice (Retd.) Majida Razvi, Chairperson, Sindh Human Rights Commission; Ms. Nuzhat Shireen, Chairperson, Sindh Commission on Status of Women; Ms. Zohra Khan of Home Based Women Workers Federation; Ms. Sheema Kerman of Tahrik-e-Niswan; Ms Mahnaz Rehman, Director of Aurat Foundation; Karamat Ali, Executive Director of Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) were also present on the occasion. They also called upon the concerned authorities to provide protection to the victim and take action against the accused nominated in the FIR.