‘Give us back our baby girl’

Child rescued from kidnappers sent to Darul Aman instead of parents

MINGORA: Yearning to be reunited with their 13-year-old-daughter, a couple has asked authorities to return their girl who was admitted to Darul Aman by the police around four months ago. Their daughter had been rescued by the police after she had allegedly been kidnapped by a local landowner.

Speaking to reporters at Swat Press Club, the parents said Laila*, 13, had gone to a spring in Totano Bandai area of Kabal tehsil to fetch some water. The parents added she was then abducted by Nasib Zada, 52, a local landlord.

“We were six women and were out to fetch water. On our way back home, some armed men bundled Laila into a car at gunpoint and fled,” said her aunt who was also at the press conference.

“Later, Nasib Zada called and told us he had married our daughter,” said one of the parents. They added a report was filed at Kabal police station and consequently, the law enforcers found Laila and arrested the landlord.

However, the police admitted Laila to Darul Aman and have not let the family meet her, claimed the parents. They added several applications have been filed with higher authorities to let them meet their daughter, but all have proven useless.

Meanwhile, the parents added, Nasib Zada has been released on bail and is putting pressure on them to withdraw the case. He allegedly even threatened to kill their daughter if they failed to keep quiet.

The couple highlighted that Nasib Zada was already married and had eight children. When the relevant police station was contacted, an official said the case was filed on December 31, 2014. He said it was later referred to the Kabal Assistant Commissioner who had the girl sent to Darul Aman.

“Legally, the parents should go to court to meet the girl and to initiate any further procedure,” he said.

*Name changed to protect identity

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2015.