Father of a murdered daughter awaits justice

Family living in miserable conditions, awaiting the apex court to hear their plea for over a year.

ISLAMABAD:

Life is unkind to many in Pakistan and Dhani Baksh from Shaikarpur is no exception. The unfortunate father’s 16-year-old daughter was brutally murdered in front of his eyes at the hands of her in-laws. His daugher, Sanam, was five months pregnant at the time of her murder.

But Baksh’s miseries had only begun. Despite his endless efforts, his daughter’s murders being the area’s feudal lords could not be bought to task, who claimed that the girl was “karo-kari” and was killed to save the family’s honour. Soon after, his house was burnt down and the persistent life threats from the former in-laws forced the family to leave their home city.

The family, with no home or a source of income, came to Islamabad in pursuit of justice a year ago but the Supreme Court is yet to hear their plea. They are living in miserable conditions without proper food or shelter.

“I was wrong to believe that our President, Prime Minister and Chief Justice are unaware of what goes around among the poor and weak segments of the society living in far-flung areas. I though that they would listen to my pleas and miseries that my family has been put through,” said the dejected father while talking to The Express Tribune. “Now seeking justice has become more challenging and painful for me than my daughter’s murder.”

His daughter, Sanam, was forcefully married to a local feudal lord’s son, Waheed. Fifteen months after the marriage, when he paid a surprise visit to her daughter, he saw her being thrashed by her in-laws. Bakh said he witnessed his daughter’s husband hitting her on the head with a club, after her father-in-law broke her neck.

In a state of shock, he took his daughter to a nearby hospital in a critical condition and died soon after. To veil their crime, the feudal lord was quick in declaring her “karo-kari”, accusing the girl of adultery and getting a free pass to murdering an innocent girl.

Baksh lodged a First Information Report (FIR) at Mian Jo Goth police station in district Shikarpur but the police, instead of sympathizing with the man, took Rs20,000 from him and did nothing to bring the murders to task. Baksh said that even the local courts did not hear his plea.

The family spends its days outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad urging lawyers, law enforcement agencies and politicians to help them bring Sanam’s murders to justice. When not at the court, Baksh washes cars to earn barely enough to feed the family.

He appealed to the president, prime minister and chief justice of Pakistan to bring his daughter’s murders to justice otherwise he, along with his family, will commit suicide in front of the Supreme Court.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 25^th, 2011.