KARACHI, May 24: Despite the passage of five months since the separate brutal gang-rapes of Kainat Soomro and Nasima Labano made headlines, justice has not been done to the teenaged victims. What’s more, both the federal and Sindh governments have abandoned the victims and their families despite announcements from various officials that the state would stand by them and ensure that the culprits are brought to book.

Kainat and Nasima, flanked by their respective fathers Ghulam Nabi Soomro and Hamza Labano, expressed these views at a press conference here on Thursday. The press conference was arranged by human rights organisation Madadgar Helpline, and was also addressed by lawyer Zia Awan.

The victims and their families demanded that their cases be shifted to Karachi; both families be permanently lodged in Karachi; the remaining accused be arrested forthwith; the government provide financial support to the families and the police and medico-legal officers who are obstructing justice in both cases be dealt with accordingly.

With her voice shaking with emotion, in halting Urdu Nasima Labano, 16, said that her family was in dire financial straits because of the trauma they had suffered. She said that her siblings would often go to sleep hungry as the family was surviving on one meal a day. Her father added that they were receiving threats from various quarters.

She said that she wanted justice and would not rest till her tormentors were given exemplary punishment, so that no one else would attempt to dishonour women in the country.

Kainat, whose family had staged a 54-day sit-in in front of the Karachi Press Club to protest her ordeal, was said to be suffering from kidney problems because of excessive hunger and thirst. Her father was called to Islamabad by the Standing Committee of the National Assembly to pursue the matter and was promised reimbursement of the travel expenses and accommodation.

But the promise seemed half-hearted as he could make no real headway and was ultimately left on the streets of Rawalpindi to find his own way back home.

When asked if the recently adopted Women’s Protection Bill had helped protect women from such vicious assaults, Zia Awan replied that if such laws had been any good, there would be no need for holding such press conferences.