Govt asked to provide justice to rape victim

PESHAWAR: Various international human rights organisations have asked the federal and provincial governments to provide justice and protection to a lady health worker (LHW) who was allegedly gang raped by five persons including policemen.

As per the reports and claim of LHW Asmat Ara, she had received threats before being gang raped to stop her from administering polio drops to children in the area.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), in its letter to the prime minister, federal interior minister and chief justice Peshawar High Court, chief minister and provincial police officer expressed concern over the case of Asmat Ara, a resident of Nowshera district.

It asked for providing protection to the LHW and her family after she raised her voice for justice and protection against the rapists.

“As the chief culprit is well placed and influential, the police refused to register the victim’s first information report (FIR), and later, upon pressure from different quarters they registered a faulty FIR, which seeks to link her husband with drug possession. The woman has been running from pillar to post seeking justice, but has so far been unsuccessful,” the letter stated.

The Front Line Defenders, an Ireland-based human rights organisation, also called for full investigation into the case and the manner in which it was handled. It said she should be guaranteed state protection while the case is being investigated.

The Human Rights Directorate, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also sought complete inquiry report from the district police officer (DPO) Nowshera on the complaint of the LHW.

It may be mentioned that on the complaint of Asmat Ara, resident of Balu Union Council in the jurisdiction of Akbarpura Police Station, the Director Human Rights Noor Zaman Khan Khattak directed the DPO on December 28 to submit report about the case within 14 days. The directorate is inquiring the matter of human rights violation under the KP Promotion, Protection and Enforcement of Human Rights Act, 2014.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Department and inspector general of police have also ordered inquiries into the matter after the rape victim raised voice against the injustices with her by the police officials and threats to her life and family members.

Official sources said the district health officer (DHO) Nowshera had completed an inquiry into the matter and submitted the report to the provincial government.

In the DHO’s inquiry, it is reportedly mentioned that the LHW was trying to take asylum in a foreign country through this case. However, the LHW termed the claim in the inquiry as baseless and said the officials should prove the claim with documents in which country she planned to take asylum.

The KP Police Department has yet to complete the inquiry into the case. It claims to have apprehended the main accused and is under pressure to do more.

The LHW was allegedly raped in August 2015 and the police did not register the case even after the passage of four months.

She claimed the police registered a wrong case of robbery on September 18, instead of rape and termed it unfair.

The LHW stated that the police official did not mention in the FIR that she had been sexually assaulted. She maintained that the police official asked her not to mention the involvement of the police in the rape case.

The woman said a five-member gang, including two men in police uniforms, barged into her house at midnight on August 28 and raped her. Prior to the incident, she claimed to have received threats from Ajab Khan Afridi, her tenant.

She said that Ajab Khan used to warn her to stop vaccinating children against polio.

The Provincial Commission on Status of Women (PCSW) has failed to give its finding in the rape case to-date.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network raised the issue and demanded justice for the LHW.