Woman tortured by ‘pir’ hospitalised
By Mohammad Saleem
FAISALABAD: A mother of four has been hospitalised with her arms paralysed and renal failure due to the alleged torture of a pir (spiritual healer).
Shahnaz Bibi alleges her five maternal uncles — Sharif, Mansha, Noor Mohammad, Akram and Arshad — handed her over to Chan Pir on Jan 23 to probe her role in the murder of her uncle, Nawaz.
Nawaz was found murdered at her home in Pindi Bhattian, some five months ago. The police found no clue in their search for the accused. After the police failure, the family decided to nab the murders through pir’s ‘miraculous investigation’.
She alleged that the pir made her stand on a charpoy after tying her hands with the ceiling and jolted the charpoy.
She said the pir had also pressured her to nominate Riaz, Parveen Bibi and Taj Bibi in the Nawaz case. When she refused, the pir and one of her uncles kept on beating her for hours before her cousin, Qamar, came there and rescued her.
The Pindi Bhattian police registered an FIR on Jan 23 under Section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Shahnaz said most of the people visiting her have advised her an out-of-court settlement because of her abject poverty. However, “I will not surrender to such elements and will fight till death for justice.” She says she is the sole brad winner for the family.
She was referred to Allied Hospital on Jan 27 by Tehsil Headquarters Hospital because of her critical condition.
Allied Hospital officials have submitted the examination report to the police that the woman has complications of rhabdomyolysis, renal failure, brachial pluxes injury and paralysis.
She said she had also got threats from the relatives of the pir for nominating him in the case.
Allied Hospital’s Dr Sajjad Ali said Shahnaz’s both arms had become paralysed with her renal failure. The medical report also mentioned a nerve conduction study of the victim must be conducted for final opinion about the permanent loss of functioning of arms.
A police official said five accused had been arrested, of them Sharif and his son, Arshad, were exonerated as they had nothing to do with the incident. One of Shahnaz’s sister said the criminals had been offering Rs200,000 as compensation and expenses of her treatment.
She said: “We need justice rather any sort of compensation as the brutal torture has left her sister arms completely paralysed.”
Source: Dawn
Date:2/15/2010
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