DERA GHAZI KHAN, May 22: An inquiry into alleged maltreatment of a gir,l who was found locked up in a room of the Darul Aman in 2003, could not be commenced even after five months of the Punjab chief secretary’s order. The chief secretary, who found an earlier inquiry into the matter inadequate, had ordered a fresh probe into the affairs of local Darul Aman in December 2004. The executive district officer (finance and planning) was appointed inquiry officer.

The case of Saffo Mai was unearthed by the members of a women rights group in May 2003, who found her locked in a room of Darul Aman in inhuman conditions. According to the group members, she had been kept in the room for one-and-a-half year, which had further aggravated her mental condition. Reportedly, brought to the facility by police, Saffo Mai was unable to relate her ordeal and was mentally disturbed.

On the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi an inquiry was conducted against the officers, Ghulam Farid Qaisrani, Jaffar Hussain Bapa, Ahmed Zaman Sherwani, Ghulam Qamber Lond, Asghar Jalbani and Farooq Ahmed, and they all were suspended from service. Later on, Saffo Mai was sent to Lahore mental hospital allegedly to save the skin of some guilty officers by the district officer, social welfare department.

Meanwhile, one accused officer, Farid qaisrani (district officer at that time), got retired from service, while Jafar Bapa (assistant director) was appointed as district officer, social welfare, Ahmed Zaman was appointed as in-charge of the Nigehban Centre, Ghulam Qamber (in-charge of Darul Aman at that time) appointed at local DHQ hospital and Asghar Jalbani was appointed as in-charge of working women’s hostel, while Farooq was deputed on the urban community development desk of the social welfare department in the district.

Neither District Coordination Officer Khusrao Pervaiz Malik nor EDO (community development) Rana Ameen took notice of the prevailing situation at Dar-ul Aman.

Rana Ameen, when contacted, told Dawn that inquiry was still pending against the officers due to unknown reasons. EDO Shahid Khan, the inquiry officer appointed by the chief secretary, said the accused officers had applied for changing the local inquiry officer which was turned down by the authority concerned. He maintained that he would start the inquiry after preparing the district’s budget which was his prime duty.

Sources in the department say that the both EDOs, had a soft corner for the accused officers, and they condoned the irregularities in the district social welfare department. They further accused the EDOs of causing delay in the probe into Saffo Mai case.