Torture victim loses baby

Published August 28, 2007

NAWABSHAH, Aug 27: A five-month pregnant woman, one of the two sisters who were admitted to the Nawabshah Medical College Hospital two days ago after allegedly suffering torture at the hands of their husbands, has lost her unborn baby.

Rukhsana, 26, wife of Pir Tariq, and Gulshan, 23, wife of Pir Imtiaz, were allegedly tortured by their husbands (both brothers) at their residence in Doctors Colony.

Five-month pregnant Gulshan who had received serious internal injuries lost her unborn baby and had to undergo a necessary abortion at the hospital’s gynaecology ward on Saturday.

Dr Safia at the gynaecology ward told Dawn that the hospital did not admit the patient as a medico-legal case and claimed that the ultrasound reports showed that the baby was normal but for some complications probably resulting from the displacement of placenta.

She said that the patient might have miscarried due to mental distress or any other reason best known to the medico legal officer.

The other victim of torture, Ms Rukhsana, suffered severe ear injury. Dr Asudomal Khemani, associate professor of ENT said the patient had bleeding in the ear from some injury.

Earlier, MNA Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho, District Bar Association Secretary Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, chairperson of Women Centre Miss Qamarunnisa Dhamrah and general secretary of Pakistan Medical Association, Dr Ghulam Hyder Memon paid a visit to the NMC Hospital and enquired after the health of the torture victims.

Miss Qamarunnisa later met with the accused brothers and persuaded them to return children of the sisters.

Complainant Pir Khairuddin registered an FIR on Monday against the brothers under sections 338-B, 337-A I, and 504, PPC on the directives of district and session judge Ghulam Qadir Leghari two days ago. However, no arrest has been made yet.