Seeking justice: ‘Rape victim’ threatens self-immolation

Victim says the culprits have so far extorted over Rs1.5 million from her

ISLAMABAD:

The victim of an alleged gang-rape has threatened to commit suicide by self-immolating in front of the Prime Minister’s House in protest against the police failure to arrest her alleged rapists even after seven months.

The victim, a resident of Bhimber, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, narrated her ordeal to the media at the National Press Club on Thursday that while she was going to  see a doctor in Pindi Janjua area in Bhimber, when Haroon Rashid and Jamil Shafi waylaid her and dragged her into bushes and gang-raped her.

She also claimed that her alleged rapists also filmed their crime and later blackmailed her threatening her to upload it on the internet if she told anyone.

According to her, the culprits have so far extorted over Rs1.5 million from her.

She said that the accused were influential and threatening her of dire consequences if she pursued the case.

She said that she sought help from the local police but they were reluctant to arrest the suspects. She also told the media that as a last resort she has landed in Islamabad to seek justice from high ups.

She said that the only option she has left with was to commit suicide if her tormentors were not arrested.

The victim also said that her husband has become mentally upset as a result of the incessant harassment by the suspects.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 11^th, 2015.