Spurned shooters: 2 women shot for refusing to get into landlord’s car

Neelam and Sonam were performing at a wedding and were shot by the accused them after refusing them.

SIALKOT:

Two women were shot and injured after they refused to leave with a group of local landlords in Sambrial on Sunday night.

According to the women, they had been returning after performing at a wedding late on Sunday night when some local landlords insisted they get in their car and give a private performance at their dera.

“We refused to leave with the men because we were just returning from a wedding party and had to catch a bus to Lahore but then they started shooting at us,” said Neelam, adding that she had been injured in her arm. “There were four of us and the landlords just began shooting. We ran but I got hit in the leg,” said Sonam.

The women approached the police to file a case and said that police officials initially refused to file their claim. “They misbehaved with us and said that we deserved what we got. When we threatened to go to the press they finally filed a case,” said Sonam.

The women told reporters that they had been called in to perform at a wedding in the Begowala village. “While we were leaving three men in a jeep insisted we accompany them to their house but we refused them and they began shooting at us,” said Neelam. The women accused Ali Abbas Cheema, Rizwan Gondal and another man of harassing them and then firing on them. “The men are influential, which is why the police did not want to file the case at first,” she said.

The women were taken to the THQ Civil Hospital in Sambrial, where doctors said that their condition was stable.

“Two of the women have suffered bullet wounds but the injuries are to their arm and leg. We have cleaned the wounds and they are in recovery,” said a nurse Mehvish Ali.

Local eyewitnesses said that they had seen the women exit the wedding function. “They were stopped on the street and the men began harassing them. They all had rifles and fled the moment the women were injured,” said a wedding guest Safdar.

Begowala Police have registered a case against the accused but no arrest has been made so far. “We are looking into the matter and the accused will be arrested within 24 hours,” Inspector Tariq said.

Neelam and Sonam have been shifted to Mayo Hospital in Lahore for the duration of their recovery.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th, 2011.