LARKANA: A Chandio couple sold their eight-month-old baby girl to pay back an amount of Rs30,000 they were accused of having withdrawn in excess to their entitlement of Rs4,500 under the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP).

The Drig police SHO had detained Mohammed Saleh Chandio, the uncle of the baby’s mother, Afroz Begum, to force her to pay back the amount.

Narrating her ordeal, Ms Begum along with her husband, Gairo Chandio, and their children told journalists outside the local press club on Saturday that she originally belonged to Nabi Bakhsh Chandio village and moved to the old bus terminal locality in Larkana during the 2010 super flood. She said she was recipient of the BISP assistance and used to draw Rs4,500 quarterly. She argued that the amount was paid by bank staff against a receipt so how was it possible for her to withdraw money in excess of the fixed amount.

She said the SHO had been forcing her to pay back Rs30,000 and when he kept mounting the pressure, she had to sell her daughter for Rs50,000 to a relative, Khalid Chandio, who agreed and promised to marry the baby to his son, Gul Chandio.

The SHO let off Saleh Chandio after receiving the money, the couple claimed. However, they alleged, police were still harassing them.

They appealed to the chief minister, home minister and inspector-general of police to intervene and ensure protection to them. They also called for an inquiry into the whole episode and action against the police.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2015

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