Pakistan

Three arrested for burning girl alive in Kashmir village

Police arrested all the three men accused of burning a girl alive in an AJK village on June 1 from the sessions court.

Roshan Mughal/umer Nangiana June 22, 2010

Police on Tuesday arrested all the three men accused of burning a girl alive in an AJK village on June 1 from the sessions court after the judge refused to extend their bail.

The three were out on interim bail after they were booked on June 2 for killing Saiqa. Hassan Khan Afridi, the SHO of Dheer Kot police station, confirmed that the trio has been arrested. “They will be produced before the court to obtain their physical remand on Wednesday,” he said. Saiqa’s father Muhammad Ashraf had lodged a complaint with the Kohala police that her daughter was burnt alive by the three.

Meanwhile, the family of the 22-year-old girl has announced it will launch a campaign in the hunt for justice.

“We are in search of justice since the day my young daughter, Saiqa, was burnt alive at her home in (village) Munasa (near Kohala in the AJK district of Dheer Kot) by local influential Kazim Khan, his son Usman and Iqbal Khan,” Muhammad Ashraf told reporters here. He was flanked by elder brother Muhammad Sadiq Khan and son Ghulam Mustafa.

“We will make every effort to win justice. We will stage a sit-in in front of the AJK Supreme Court. If nothing happened, then in front of the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” the ailing father of Saiqa said. The family vowed to knock every door for award of punishment to the alleged killers of the girl.

“They (culprits) are wealthier and have political backing from the ruling Muslim Conference while we are poor. We appeal to human rights organisations to help us in the pursuit of justice,” Saiqa’s elder brother Istafar Khan, 29, told The Express Tribune.

He said that Suleman, 22, the younger son of Kazim Khan, wanted to marry Saiqa but one of the accused, Iqbal Khan, desired Suleman to marry his daughter instead. Therefore, Iqbal orchestrated the plan “to remove my sister from the way”.

Meanwhile, Ansar Burney Trust has offered free of cost legal aid to the grief-stricken family. “We will provide legal help to Saiqa’s family and we are in contact with prominent lawyers for the purpose,” Khawaja Talib Hussain, AJK Bureau in-charge of Ansar Burney Turst told The Express Tribune.

Saiqa Ashraf was set on fire allegedly by the trio on her refusal to shun Suleman. She succumbed to her burn injuries in Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Muzaffarabad on June 10.

Earlier in a letter written to The Express Tribune, Ashraf had informed that the suspects threatening him and his family with dire consequences.

He had claimed that Kazim Khan, who was in transport business, came to his house along with his two sons and after a brief talk with him they called his daughter Saiqa and started abusing her. Later, they locked her in a room and set her ablaze after sprinkling petrol on her. She was rescued by some villagers who rushed to the place on hearing her screams only after the perpetrators had fled.

The villagers had shifted her to the CMH Muzaffarabad in a serious condition. However, she succumbed to the severe burn injuries. “Saiqa was laid to rest in Munasa. I could not see her off personally because I was unable to move,” Ashraf wrote.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2010.

COMMENTS (4)

Sardar Jawad | 14 years ago | Reply We all are very well aware the fact that happend but we do,t have enough courage to say it wrong.Kazam Khan and others who were involved must be punished as per rules.Despite the fact that he has some financial and political influence but it does,t mean to burn a girl in this century.If Sardar Attique is involved to settle the issue in favour og guikty peoples as i do,t think so and he should,t be because mr. kazam is not the worker as such of the party.He is blackmailer and no more.I would like to request all the authorities to put them in the matter and the man should be punished.Haji Aziz Muhammad Khan you are requested to not put ur influence to reslove the matter with fovourtism.Plz give them justice.Where are the organizations confronting tnese issues.why they do,t speak.May God give them justice ..........................

afraz Ishaq abbasi | 14 years ago | Reply as we are well aware about the matter and still are standing scilent. if some one have authority and even have political support, but when any thing trying to cross the limits its should be reacted hardly and every one is responsible to stop that by force. i would like to request Mr Attique Khan to take keen interest in this matter and search out the facts for the help of that family otherwise he may be punished by Almighty as he has the power to do something but not. surely he will be asked by that specific lady (Saiqa Ashraf) on the day of judgement. he should take the matter seriously for answering her at that day and next of kins as well. if the authorities do not take any step then it may create the situation like Israel. so please do something what you can ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

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ateea ahmad abbasi | 14 years ago | Reply in these days kazim khan and other prominent political workers of muslim conference persuaded the burning girls family to take some money from them and finished this case and do not take any further action, it is very painfull and we should strictly prohibbited such type of activities and we strongly protested against Kazzam khan and persuaded the Government of AJK add supreme court of AJK that should hanged Kazzam khan to be death.

tahir khan | 14 years ago | Reply thiis is cruility expressed by kazam khan.i think he has some political support from attique khan and some other people but the people whose young daughter was burnt in front of their eyes,their guility was this that they have no political support.i know kazam khan personally he thinks that he is only representator of the of the village but now he should keep in mind that people have awakened now and INSHAALLAH Saiqa family will be justiced.

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