LAHORE, Sept 14: Sonia Naz, the alleged rape victim of some police officials, said on Wednesday the life of her husband was in danger. “Some three days ago, my husband told me by phone that he was divorcing me because he can live with a raped woman, but can no longer bear mudslinging and character assassination,” Sonia told Dawn at the AGHS office in Gulberg here.

“Asim is not that kind of a person. I am sure he was forced to do so under threat to his life. He is in danger and I appeal to the authorities concerned to ensure his safety,” she said.

She said she had no option but to join the inquiry committee, believe its members and cooperate with them in the proceedings.

“I am missing my two children who are with my sister because they are sick. My elder son has some respiratory problem and requires nebulization sometimes twice a day. The condition of my mother is also not good,” she said.

Sonia further said she had neither any plan to go abroad nor had any foreign country or organization extended any such invitation. “Why should I leave my country? No body has given me any financial assistance not even for the purchase of medicines for my ailing children,” she said.

Five policemen, armed with kalashnikovs, were sitting outside the room where Sonia talked to this reporter. Three policewomen remained close to her even when she went to a corner of the room to get a glass of water.

Earlier, Sonia told journalists at a press conference that she still hoped that President Pervez Musharraf would ensure justice to her. “In spite of the adverse statement of the president, I am still optimistic he would help me get justice. I am like his daughters,” she said.

Demanding immediate registration of an FIR against SP Khalid Abdullah, she said the authorities were delaying his arrest on one pretext or the other.

The SP, she said, was freely roaming around but I am not free enough even to go to toilet alone. “Police say I am in protective custody but it is worst than a jail.”

MNA Mahnaz Rafi or any other woman, she said, did not help her. Initially, it was the media and later Madam Asma of the HRCP who came to her rescue.

“I committed a mistake, but did I deserve such a stern punishment? The National Assembly speaker got an FIR registered against me and sent me to jail but did not bother to ask me why I had gone there?” HRCP chairperson Asma Jehangir said inquiry follows registration of the FIR, but the police were still reluctant to register the case which was a clear violation of fundamental rights of the victim.

“We went to the police station on Sept 2 to lodge an FIR but were told it cannot be registered as a judicial inquiry has started. The inquiry actually began on Sept 3.

“We will get the FIR registered under section 10 (3) of the Hudood Ordinance,” Ms Jehangir said.