K-P Police fail to uproot illegal abortion clinics

Towards the end of last month, Gurria, a victim of rape, accompanied with her mother, sought the help of a midwife to abort the fetus that had developed inside her, at an illegal abortion clinic in the Phandu area of Peshawar.

The 13-year-old girl, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, had been raped repeatedly by the same perpetrator, and developed what she thought was a never-ending stomach ache.

When she drew up the courage to inform her mother, she was instantly taken to a nearby hospital, where the gynaecologist informed her shell-shocked mother that her adolescent daughter was six months pregnant. Frantic with worry, Gurria’s mother discreetly asked a neighbour about abortion clinics, and was informed about one close to where she lived.

She took Gurria to the clinic, where a midwife assured her of a clean abortion but that was far from the truth. During the procedure, Gurria lost so much blood that her mother instantly had to take her to the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH). Some 47 hours later, Gurria passed away at the LRH, on the 26th of May. A report of the incident was then filed at the Phandu Police Station.

Dr Muhammad Umar, Superintendent of Police (SP), Faqirabad Circle, who is overlooking the investigation of the heinous incident, informed the Express Tribune about what has transpired so far in the case. “We geo-fenced the area immediately after the report was lodged, and arrested a 25-year-old, who has now confessed to raping the 13-year-old girl.”

Dr Umar further said that initially the child’s mother did not cooperate but later on she told us the details about the abortion clinic and the midwives that work there. When asked if action had been taken against the illegal abortion clinic, the SP said that all those involved in the incident of Gurria’s abortion procedure had been arrested. While it remains to be seen whether those who have been arrested will actually face any consequences, illegal abortion clinics are not a new addition to Peshawar. Police sources familiar with the spread of such clinics informed that they exist in various localities of Peshawar including Sethi Town, Dalzak Road, Hayatabad, and Akhunabad. However, despite the police having this information, the illegal establishments have not been uprooted.

Hence, The Express Tribune asked members of the legal fraternity whether abortion is legal under any circumstances. “If a physician or gynaecologist determines that childbirth may pose serious and life-threatening risks to the mother, medical permission for abortion can be granted under strict conditions and an adherence to regulations,” informed Khushnood Zakirullah, a senior lawyer at the Peshawar High Court. “However, abortion is a taboo subject in the country; that is why we are seeing an increase in illegal clinics, which are not only a safety hazard but also a question mark on the performance of the police,” he added.

Rape emergency

The lawyer further said that the police’s performance in curtailing heinous crimes like rape was quite poor, which eventually lead to victims seeking the help of illegal clinics. “Had the police done its job properly in getting convictions in prior cases, the 13-year-old would never have been subjected to sexual abuse and she would still be among us.” Zakirullah’s assessment has backing in the data obtained by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police, which shows that a 119 cases of rape were registered in the province from 2019 to 2021, out of which only 11 accused were actually punished.

Similarly, last year, a staggering 365 cases of rape, of mostly minors, were reported in the province but the police have only managed to arrest 329 accused so far.

“The police has completely failed in curbing rape in Peshawar and the entire province. What we see instead is the arrested accused compromising with the victims’ families, and getting out of jail, after paying money,” regretted Imran, a child rights activist, while talking to The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 14^th, 2023.