Woman ‘tortured’ for taking possession of grabbed land in Sahiwal

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Gender-based violence is more prevalent against women. — Dawn archives
Gender-based violence is more prevalent against women. — Dawn archives

SAHIWAL: A woman, who had taken possession of her inherited land after being illegally occupied for around 30 years, was allegedly abducted, tortured and humiliated by 12 armed attackers, including three women, at Chak 93/9-L.

The victim, Mardan Bibi, got possession of her land she had inherited under Ghori Pal Scheme, with the help of Pera Force, police, revenue department and the district administration, following 30 years of illegal occupation.

As per the First Information Report (FIR), registered under sections 50, 148, 149, 447, 511, 365, and 354 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on the complaint of her son, Nomir Abbas, the attackers, armed with pistols and rifles, kidnapped Mardan Bibi, subjected her to torture, and fled on the arrival of a team of Yousafwala police, which came to rescue her.

As per police sources, the land inherited by the victim had been illegally occupied by one Khudayar Baloch and others for nearly three decades.

After repeated appeals by Mardan Bibi, Sahiwal Commissioner Asif Tufail ordered the revenue department, Punjab Enforcement and Regulatory Authority (Pera) Force, and district administration officials to restore possession of the land to the legal owner, Mardan Bibi.

Accordingly, in an operation led by Assistant Commissioner Nouman Qasir, the land was retrieved from illegal occupants and its possession was given to the complainant.

However, as soon as the officials team left the village, Khudayar Baloch, Ali, Sarfraz, Yaseen Baloch, Gulaan Bibi, Nooran, Sheenan, Allah Maafi, and their four unidentified accomplices returned with arms.

The FIR says that the suspects dragged the victim by her hair, and forcibly took her away on a motorcycle, after covering her face with a piece of cloth.

When her cousin Akram tried to intervene, he was injured by the suspects.

However, the police, on being informed of the attack on the 15 helpline, arrived at the scene, rescued the woman and arrested six of the suspects, while others managed to escape.

The police say raids are underway to apprehend the fleeing suspects.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2026

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