Speech impaired man assaulted, police refuse to register case
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ISLAMABAD: A young man with a hearing and speech impairment was sexually abused by colleagues at a workshop but the police refused to entertain his complaint.
The victim’s brother, Irfan Haris, told Dawn that he works as an accountant at a workshop in G-7, where he arranged a job for his 23-year-old brother a few months back.
Mr Haris said that his brother, who has a speech and hearing impairment, used to live with other labourers learning the skills of his profession.
“He got ill last month and I brought him to my house in Sadiqabad,” he added.
When the young man was taken to the hospital, doctors said that he had a urine infection and recommended some tests. When the tests were conducted at the Benazir Bhutto Hospital in Rawalpindi, the family was told that it was police case as the young man had been sexually abused.
“My brother cannot speak so he could not tell us what happened to him,” Mr Haris said.
Mr Haris said that he was asked to contact the police for a medico legal report of the victim. When he approached Sadiqabad Police for the registration of a case, he was told to contact the police in the area where the crime was committed.
He also informed his employer about the incident which led to a verbal argument as a result of which he lost his job.
“On Monday, I approached the Aabpara Police Station for the registration of a case, the police refused and informed me that a complaint had already been lodged against me by my employer,” he said. “My employer alleged that I had embezzled money,” he added.
Mr Haris then went to Polyclinic for his brother’s medical examination.
“The policemen deployed there also did not cooperate,” he said.
When the employer was contacted, he said: “I lodged a complaint against Mr Haris because he threatened me. However, I did not levy any allegations of embezzlement against him.”
“I am only responsible for my own actions, if someone else committed any wrong, I have nothing to do with it,” he added.
When SHO Aabpara, Abdul Rehman, was contacted he claimed ignorance over the matter and said he was not aware of a complaint lodged by the employer.
“I am also not aware of anyone approaching the police for the registration of a sexual abuse case,” he said.
Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2015
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