‘Perween’s murder case a big cover-up’

Karachi

The case of Perween Rahman’s murder has been a big cover-up; in which the police, bureaucrats and influential politicians are involved, as also are the land and water mafias, asserted Faisal Siddiqi, a close associate of Perween's, at a panel discussion held following the screening of a documentary film showcasing the life and times of the slain Orangi Pilot Project’s (OPP) director.

The screening was organised at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture (IVS) on Wednesday afternoon.

Siddiqi, also the prosecution lawyers in Perween’s murder case, however, expressed optimism and said that not being satisfied with the investigations conducted by local police, they took the unusual step of going to the Supreme Court of Pakistan and most fortunately the apex court took interest in the case; four chief justices had heard the case in succession.

He said that a day after Perween’s murder, one Qari Bilal was shot down. This, he said, was followed by an attack on another OPP official.

Later, it transpired that one Rahim Swati had been apprehended as he had been overheard telling somebody over the phone that Perween had to be bumped off, Siddiqi added.

He said that courtesy of the SC now chances of actual culprits being nabbed seemed far brighter.

The hour-long movie was inspirational indeed. It was a recollection of her personal life starting with the family’s uprooting from what is now Bangladesh where Perween was born, all the way to her elimination.

The movie begins with Perween’s love for nature and her fondness for the seaside. She’s seen saying that it’s the best place to drown one’s sorrows in.

Her close associate and mentor Arif Hasan is shown as saying, “If you interfere, you will be silenced, by threats or otherwise. Vested interests in the water, power, and transport sectors have deep connections with the bureaucracy.”

Perween, he said, had learnt from the realities on the ground. She had refused aid for the project from the World Bank, the IMF, and the USAID and was of the view that instead of borrowing, we should exploit our own resources and provide gainful employment to our own people.

Perween is shown as saying, “Karachi is receiving 650 million gallons of water daily from the two sources, the Indus and the Hub canal,” of which, she says that 41 percent is stolen by the tanker mafia and

the underprivileged populace of the city were deprived of the essential commodity.

Also, she’s shown as saying that land is the real bone of contention and is treated as gold. Thus all mafias were constantly conspiring to grab it and usurp what lawfully belonged to the poor.

Others shown lauding her courageous, pioneering work and talking tenderly of her are Tasneem Siddiqui, Faisal Siddiqi, Rehman Baba the watchman, and her housekeeper Jehanzeb.

The movie, titled, ‘Perween Rehman: the rebel optimist’ was produced by Mahera Omar and Aquila Ismail (the late Perween’s sister), and directed by Mahera.