HYDERABAD: The Women Action Forum (WAF) has expressed its concern over the slow pace of police investigation into the infamous murder case of 10-year-old housemaid Fatima Furiro, who was allegedly sexually assaulted and found beaten to death in the haveli of Pir Asad Shah in Ranipur town of Khairpur district last month.

A statement issued here by the WAF on Sunday, demanded arrest of Pir Asad’s wife Hina Shah and another accused, Fayyaz Shah, both named in the murder case.

It cited a press conference addressed by the mother of prime suspect, Asad Shah, and noted that Fatima was staying at Fayyaz Shah’s haveli, therefore, he should also be made to join the investigation.

The forum said that without arresting Fayyaz Shah, facts would remain shrouded in mystery. His DNA sample should be obtained and his mobile phone’s forensic analysis should be done, it added. It said that media reports indicated that Asad Shah’s mobile phone was not analysed forensically. It demanded that such tests should be got done forthwith through a private sector institution. It said that the DNA samples of other people living in Asad Shah’s haveli should have be collected but this had not been done as yet.

The WAF called for including statements under 164 CrPC of the women recovered from the haveli as mentioned in the challan of the case.

There were reports that some girls remained missing after they were handed over to residents of the haveli in Ranipur. Separate FIRs of two girls, Ujala and Saniya, were not registered after they fled the haveli, it noted.

The forum demanded security for those who had exposed this alleged ‘dirty game’ that had been going on in the haveli.

It said that police should also look into the allegations that children’s explicit videos used to be prepared in the haveli and all those found culprits should be brought to justice.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2023