ISLAMABAD: The family members of the abused and raped girl of Sahiwal, Shahnaz Akhtar, who has now been unchained and shifted to Darul Amaan, are planning to kill the girl whenever she would come out of her sanctuary, sources in Chak 84/5L, where the girl’s family resides, told The News.

Shahnaz’s sister, Aafia, had met her on Monday in Darul Amaan, on behalf of her family after getting permission from the court, to convince the frightened girl to come back to the house of her family and had assured her that there was no threat to her life, sources revealed.

“In fact, they have plans of murdering the girl when she would come out of the Darul Amaan and the family of the girl has also deputed a few persons for killing Shahnaz at the first possible opportunity,” said the sources.

Arshad Fauji, a volunteer who has been helping Shahnaz before her issue came to highlight, also confirmed the reports and said that five to six persons have been assigned the task of killing the girl whenever she would come out of Darul Amaan.

He said he has been told by the people of Chak 84/5 L that the family members of the girl, having influence in the police, have made up their minds. He said the life of the girl was in danger and she might fall prey in the name of honour killing at any time.

“Shahnaz should be shifted to Lahore otherwise there is a possibility of her death.” He said he had a conversation with Shahnaz and she now awaits for the human rights organisations to help her set free her husband, Ghulam Mustafa, who had been arrested in a case of her false abduction.

Sources in the police, however, told this scribe that during the investigation the secretary union council and the Nikah registrar of the court marriage of Shahnaz with Ghulam Mustafa in the district courts Okara have confirmed to the police that her court marriage took place on 9-11-2006 and was also registered.

The police have also called the secretary union council and the Nikah registrar of the union council where the girl’s family claimed that they conducted her second Nikah with her cousin Tanvir. A few volunteers across the country have contacted this correspondent to financially support the Sahiwal girl after the legal fight but the girl is waiting for legal aid.

Source: The News
Date:1/29/2008