By By Rabia Ali
Sunlight falls on the face of 22-year-old *Hira’s 11-day-old daughter, as several women and children gather around to catch a glimpse of her. The baby is the youngest ‘resident’ of Panah, a shelter home which not only provides a safe and secure lodging to women who are victims of violence and abuse but also helps them in their road to recovery.
Teary-eyed, Hura narrates her story. “Seven months ago, I broke free of the shackles of my family traditions, and performed court marriage with my cousin, who I loved. Afraid of the adverse reaction of our family and relatives, we ran off to Lahore, where we led a happy and beautiful life,” she said, before pausing, ostensibly to cherish the happy memories of that time.
The good days, however, came to an end. Hira was traced by the man she was once forced into almost tying the knot with, before she married her cousin. This man and his goons gunned Hira’s husband down, and also took their vengeance out on Hira, who was pregnant at the time. She was shot twice on the chest, and left for dead in the bushes at the Super highway. Fortunately, the police rescued her; miraculously, Hira and her baby survived, and were brought to Panah.
“My parents don’t know that they have become grandparents. I don’t talk to them, because if I do, the people who attacked me will come to know of my whereabouts and will hunt me down,” she said helplessly.
Twenty-two women and nine children are currently lodged at Panah, in F.B Area. All of them have similar stories to tell. Almost all of these women are married, and are victims of domestic violence, forced marriages, and sexual abuse and harassment.
Nadira Panjwani, one of the Trustees of the shelter, spoke to The News about the shelter home, and how it is playing its part to make a difference in other’s lives. “The main objective of this shelter home is to provide a safe haven for these women and also to give them healthcare and support and to help them to rebuild their shattered lives,” she said.
Panjwani said that the State-run Darul Aman was taken over by the Panah Trust in 2007, and has since became the Panah shelter home, ran by a board of trustees. This is the first case of private individuals taking over the government’s Darul Aman. “The condition of the Darul Aman was extremely deplorable. Before we took over, the termite-infested building was no less than a jail. Electricity wires were hanging all over the place and the bathrooms stank. The fans did not work, and holes had been drilled into bedroom walls for ventilation. Outside, the windows were barricaded by steel sheets,” she said.
The Panah Trust jumped into action and after completing the paperwork, renovated the premises to its core. A whopping Rs10 million were spent in reconstruction. Now, a neatly-painted façade stands on the ground. The bedrooms are spotless and the bathrooms are sparkling. Everything is organised and tidy. Outside, lush green lawns present a refreshing environment.
Women can stay at Panah for a maximum of three months, Panjwani said, adding, however, that residents are not pressured into leaving at the end of that period. One such case is that of 37 year old *Saima, who has no place to go. Her arms and neck show signs of the domestic violence that she had suffered for 12 years. Five months ago, she was thrown out on the street after being sexual abused, while the husband took away her three children. She then filed for Khula, and was sent to Panah by the court.
Now she is imparting computer education to the rest of the residents. “The past continues to haunt me, and I am fighting for the custody of my children. At the same time, however, I have become strong-willed, living here amongst women who share the same pain with me,” she told The News.
Women from all parts of the country such as Multan, Peshawar, Sukkur and other cities seek shelter at Panah. They are referred here by the court, police, NGOs, or other sources. Likewise, women can come to this home themselves.
Panjwani is confident that the project is sustainable. “The Panah trust has been running on donations for the past 12 years, and we have been quite successful in sustaining ourselves,” she said.
Financially backed by international organisations such as Amnesty International, and a number of private donors, trustees and organisations, the network of donors provides aid in form of either money or rations.
Medical and legal facilities are free at Panah. The residents are given counseling sessions thrice a week. “We also have arts and crafts classes, along with Quran classes. We can call our families anytime we want to, watch TV together, while the children can play in their playroom,” said 20-year-old *Faryal. Back in Multan, where she comes from, Faryal was tortured by her husband and in-laws.
“We try our best to resolve cases, but never pressure residents to leave, especially if there is a threat to their life. Armed guards, CCTV cameras and an effective alarm system are installed for the protection and security of the women living here. They are quite safe,” Panjwani said.
(*Names of individuals have been changed to protect privacy)