Minor girl raped in Karachi

No female MLOs were available in Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital or JPMC

KARACHI: A three and a half-year-old girl was raped near Juna Market, in the jurisdiction of Napier Police Station, on Wednesday. The victim's family took her to the police station, where the police registered the case on behalf of the victim's mother under Section 376, pertaining to rape.

The police handed over a medical letter to the family and sent them to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital for a medical examination of the girl. However, due to the unavailability of any female medico-legal officer (MLO) in the hospital at the time, the medical examination could not be performed. The girl was then rushed to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), but there was no female MLO available there till 3am either.

Police book man for ‘attempting to rape’ three minor girls

The family had to run from pillar to post to have their daughter examined. They urged the higher authorities to take notice of the negligence, asking why there were no female MLOs available at two of the biggest public hospitals in the provincial capital.

The medical examination of the victim was finally performed by a female MLO at JPMC on Thursday afternoon. Police officials said that the medical report had confirmed that the girl was raped. The family of the girl has reportedly named a suspect and police are carrying out investigations in an effort to arrest him. A police official expressed the hope that the suspect would soon be apprehended.

According to relatives of the girl, she was returning home after buying kulfi on Wednesday afternoon when a rickshaw driver took her to a public toilet near Juna Market in his rickshaw and raped her before fleeing from the spot.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2019.