HYDERABAD, Oct 4: Human rights activists and journalists on Thursday foiled police attempt to harass and allegedly kidnap a rape victim from Qambar town who had been on hunger strike with her family outside the press club for past 25 days over police failure to arrest the chief accused.

Journalists and human rights activists including Comrade Jam Saqi and Dr. Qasim Soomro came out of the club after Ms Hawa, the rape victim Ms Sadaf’s mother, shouted for help on seeing a police party in mufti forcing her daughter and husband, Hussain, to give up hunger strike and sign a blank paper.

The family refused to end either hunger strike or sign the blank paper. ASI Karim Bux who had come from Qambar insisted that they had no intention to kidnap the girl they just wanted to have her sign the blank paper. When asked if the policemen had brought with them summons or arrest warrants he replied in negative.

The police official insisted that Ms Sadaf must sign the blank paper and left but not before threatening them after the girl and her father refused to sign.

Ms Sadaf has been on hunger strike with her father, mother, sisters and brothers in front of the press club for last 25 days in protest against police failure to arrest the people who had kidnapped and then raped her.

She accused Mohammad Ali alias Pappoo Wagan, Qurban Wagan, Waqar Wagan, Saddar Wagan, Nasreen Wagan, Khadim Chandio and Khadija Chandio of kidnapping her from her home near Qambar town eight months ago. She was taken to Sachal City Villas in Karachi where Mohammad Ali alias Pappoo Wagan kept raping her for seven days, she alleged.

Ms Sadaf said that Qambar police headed by DSP Ali Ahmed Sodhar had recovered her after her father filed a report, and produced her in court, which handed her over to the family after recording statement.

She claimed that Qambar police had arrested the main accused on court orders but released him shortly afterwards after receiving huge bribes. They were not ready to re-arrest him ever since, she said.

The victim’s family left Qambar for Hyderabad out of fear and threats from the main accused, she said adding that she and her father failed to attend hearing of their case at the sessions court in Qambar on Oct 3 where the district and sessions judge rejected bail of the accused Qurban, his wife Nasreen and son Waqar and ordered to send them to jail.

But, police were, however, avoiding arrest of the main accused, she added.

Ms Sadaf appealed to the Chief Justice Pakistan to take notice of her plight and order arrest of the main accused who had kidnapped and raped her.—PPI