Mother forced to beg to collect money for son’s release

Convict’s mother appeals chief justice to waive penalty sum or pay it using national treasury

RAHIM YAR KHAN: The mother and grandmother of a convict serving a life sentence in a drugs case are compelled to beg on the streets to collect the penalty amount for his release.

Officials told Express News that Qurban Ali, a resident of Dhandh Gagri, Khanpur was arrested by the city police station under case number 235/2005 section 9C.

After the hearing, the accused was proven guilty and the Additional Sessions Judge Sanaullah Niazi sentenced him to life imprisonment while also imposing a fine of Rs5 million.

Qurban Ali has served his life term but, due to poverty resulting in an inability to pay the fine, he is serving an additional sentence.

However, the convict’s 50-year old mother Malookan Mai and 80-year old grandmother Aziz Mai are collecting the outstanding amount through Zakat and by begging in the holy month of Ramazan. They hope to pay back the fine and free Ali by Eid.



While speaking to Express News, Malookan Mai said that there is no bread-earner in the family except for Ali. She alleged that her son was framed. However, they were unable to prove his innocence as the family did not have the means to hire a big lawyer.

She added that even if they continue begging for a whole year, they will not be able to collect the required amount.

She said that Qurban Ali is married with two kids who have been forced to spend their lives below the poverty line for the past 14 years.

She appealed to the chief justice of Pakistan and the LHC chief justice to either waive the penalty or to pay it using the national treasury, relieving her son from the additional sentence.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6^th, 2018.