Durkas Feryad aged 16, lives in a small village Chak 164-RB Faisalabad along with her mother Nargis Bibi and two siblings named Nisha Feryad aged 14 and elder brother Sunny Feryad aged 20. Her father Feryad Masih died two years ago and mother is a patient of heart and diabetics.
Durkas works in a brick’s factory along with her brother to earn daily bread and to manage medical needs of their sick mother. A local youth (neighbor) named Mohammad Waqas followed Durkas on the way to her work, passed comments and compliments while passing through and started harassing sexually. At midnight – early morning on April 21, 2020 Mohammad Waqas armed with deadly weapon (pistol) entered in to the house of Durkas. His friend Sakandar Ali s/o Zulfqar Ali was also with him but he stayed outside the house. The all family was sleeping; Waqas came towards Durkas’s bed and attempted to rape her.
She was astonished when she saw someone on her bed, and cried for help. Her brother sleeping near to her heard cries and awaked. Meanwhile all family members sleeping in other rooms also awaked and rushed to her for help. Waqas caught up by the family therefore Sakandar also entered the house and made efforts to defend his friend and to get him free hurted Nadeem Masih (Durkas’s arm with) Mohammad Waqas opened fire and they both run away.
The same day FIR no.330/2020 was registered, against Mohammad Waqas in the Police Station Chak Jhumra offence under section 376 and 511. Mohammad Waqas got arrested and sent to jail for committing and attempting rape whereas Sakandar Ali was not arrested but pressurizing and threating the poor Christian family for withdraw the case FIR against Waqas.
The aggrieved family approached CTS and requested for legal assistance in this case. CTS legal team consisting on Mr. Nadeem Hassan Advocate High Court, Mr. Qaisar John Advocate High Court, Sunil Karamat Amin Officer and Tayyab Sadique Field officer headed by Katherine Sapna, Executive Director visited the family at Chak 164-RB District Faisalabad on May 04, 2020 to collect the facts of the case. The team noticed there were many lacunas in the case FIR and also police was not seriously handling the case. The accused Sakandar was not arrested and he was continually pressurizing the family and threatened for life. On May 09, 2020 CTS team along with the victim party visited SDPO office to report the matter and police negligence. Through the help of Mr. Tahir Khalil Sandhu Member Provincial Assembly, former Parliamentary Secretary for Human Rights and Minorities, and long efforts of CTS team the concerned police was convinced to add Section 452 in the case FIR against Mohammad Waqas and Sakandar Ali for trespassing the house and also Sakandar was arrested.
CTS is committed for all kind of free legal assistance, financial support and protection to the family to get them justice.
Reported by:
Christians’ True Spirit – CTS 09 – 05 – 2020