Day: February 6, 2006

ISLAMABAD, February 06 2006: Ten million children are working as labourers, while another 200,000 die annually due to consumption of contaminated water in Pakistan, says a new report.

The Human Right Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) report for the year 2005, which was released on Saturday February 4, said some 70,000 children lived on the street.

The report has also recorded what it said growing number of suicides due to poverty in the country; attacks on freedom of the press and the deteriorated law and order situation amid a simmering tension in Balochistan.

“Forty-seven minor girls were gang-raped and 70 were raped from Nov 1, 2004, to Aug 31 last year, as crimes against children increased by 128 per cent over the last four years.”

During the first half of last year, 71 children were murdered after sexual abuse, the report added.

On average, it said, 1,000 women are being killed for honour each year. Some 366 women were gang-raped or raped between Nov 2004 and Aug 2005.

Far fewer women were registered as voters than men, while many in northern areas were denied their right to balloting by traditional elements.

The HRCP asked the government to acknowledge the issue of violence against women. “Denying violent crimes against women including rapes or pointing the finger at other countries can do nothing to solve the problem.”

The attitude of leaders who imply that women victims of the crime are some way responsible for their own fate or that they highlight the issue for personal gain can only worsen the plight of women,” the commission warned.

It said seventy per cent of mothers were anaemic or suffered other health conditions raising the toll taken on women and their children by malnutrition, frequent births and lack of antenatal care. The worsening nutrition situation is closely linked to poverty.

Over 1.7 million Haris remained in bondage across Sindh. The report observed that bonded labour increased in other sectors as well. It demanded that the Bonded Labour Abolition Act (1992) must be consistently upheld and the government must make it sure that the Act held precedents over previous laws on tenants and other forms of bonded labour whenever there is confusion over the interpretation of the law.
Source: Dawn
Date:2/6/2006

JAUHARABAD, February 06 2006: An eight-year-old boy was sodomised and strangled at Chak 50/MB. Reportedly, Zafar Abbas sodomised Muhammad Asif two days ago.

Later on, he strangled him and burried his body at a forest. On Sunday February 5, the police recovered the body of Muhammad Asif with the help of a tracker. The police have arrested the accused after registering a case on the report of deceased’s father Allah Ditta.
Source: The News
Date:2/6/2006

LAHORE, February 06 2006: Many smuggled minor girls from Pakistan are forced into prostitution in Middle East in an organised crime.

Some minor girls recently rescued from Middle East by human rights activist Ansar Burney revealed horrifying facts regarding the flesh trade going on in the region.

They said most of their companions belonged to Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Afghanistan and newly independent countries from Russia.

“Most of the victims are between the age of 11 to 13 years and are smuggled to the Arab countries where they are forced into prostitution in Middle East and Arab countries,” one of the victims said and added that on the passports the ages of these girls were shown as 20 to 22 years old.

She said the human traffickers promised a beautiful and bright future and respectable jobs in the Middle East and Arab countries to lure young girls and after reaching abroad these girls are forced into prostitution.

“The traffickers forced the young girls to show themselves as virgins because most of their clients demanded young girls,” said another victim. She said “After arrival and clearance from the airport the traffickers took her passport and forced her physically to do what she was told,” she said. Threats of informing the police and of telling their families were the other tools being used by the traffickers against their sex slaves.

She said threats of violence kept the victims in line and in some cases these threats became reality. Many girls were forced to have abortions and were forced back to work within weeks. She maintained beatings and forced abortions are common in the life of the sex slaves.

“Some of the rich people in these countries like sex with young girls,” she said.

The girls were not allowed to go out without an escort while they were also forced to have sex with the traffickers whenever they wanted, she said. The girls were paid a very little amount while the food being provided to the victims was also very unhygienic, she said adding in case of any injury, the traffickers did not take the victim to a hospital and tried self medication at home which sometimes caused more damage to the victim.

“The blood packed in capsules used by human traffickers to show that girls are virgin, could contain viruses and can spread AIDS or other contagious diseases,” Ansar Burney warned.

“These daughters of Eve are dying daily as they are forced to do the dirty job of prostitution against their will and these blood capsules are very dangerous for both the man and girl as well as for their family and the entire society”. Ansar Burney added.

He said his organisation was working on this issue for a long time and recently rescued some girls who were later sent back to Pakistan. Ansar Burney said some highly influential persons in these countries are also involved in this heinous crime against humanity.

Ansar Burney said these women are recruited through advertisements in the local papers or through direct contact with the “traders” or their representatives in entertainment spots or their homes. It is known that traders are at times even aided by friends or family members of the victims, he said. In some cases, the women travel on fake documents and are contacted on arrival in the region by either the trafficker or his representative.

Ansar Burney urged President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to direct the department concerned to take stern action against those who were involved in trafficking of young girls for prostitution. “I urge the concerned governments, their leaders, the United Nations, UN Human Rights Commission and other international human rights groups to come forward and help the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International to save the world before it is too late”. Ansar Burney added.
Source: The News
Date:2/6/2006