PCSW gives shelter to rape victim after threats
By: Akhtar Amin
PESHAWAR: The Provincial Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) on Thursday provided shelter to a teenage girl who was allegedly kidnapped a year ago and repeatedly raped by several persons, including policemen.
The girl had asked for protection after arguing that her life was in danger from her family’s rivals and the policemen. Uzma Ayub, 16, along with her brother Alamzeb reached the Peshawar High Court (PHC) premises along with a police squad.
The girl sitting in the consultation room in the PHC told The News that she and her family members were receiving life threats after her statement to the media. She said now she had approached the high court for justice against the accused.
PCSW Chairperson Zubaida Khatoon took the girl along with her from the court premises. The police accompanying the girl said she would visit the office of the SP operations at the Police Lines for identification parade of the policemen involved in the incident today (Friday).
“I will commit self-immolation if I do not get immediate justice from the court,” Uzma Ayub warned, adding that even after her repeated demands for action against the accused, no action had been taken till date. “All the rapists have police backing,” she replied in a choked voice.
Revealing her ordeal before the print and electronic media, a student of 9th grade at a government high school said the police dragged her from her house when she asked them not to harm her computer that she had been using for her education.
Uzma Ayub recalled that the police then handed her over outside her house to three persons including Nazar Khan, Karim and Naseebullah, son of Nazar Khan, on October 9, 2010.
Uzma, who is daughter of a retired soldier, said that Naseebullah, who is married and serving in the military, tried to persuade her to marry him and upon her refusal shifted her to an unknown location with the help of the policemen.
On October 6, she along with her aged mother Bilqees Begum handed her application to the PHC chief justice in an open court and sought justice. However, the PHC until now hasn’t passed any order on her application.
The girl had also recorded her statement before Judicial Magistrate Asif Kamal in Takht-e-Nusrati tehsil of Karak district after her escape from captivity on September 19. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister also took serious notice of Uzma Ayub’s plight after The News broke the news about her alleged abduction and rape and ordered a probe into the incident.
Source: The News
Date:10/14/2011