image of Komal and her family.
Pakistan’s Central Investigation Agency have sought papers from Lahore High Court relating to the rape of deaf-mute teenager Komal. The papers in their
entirety have already been dispatched by the court and the CIA is beginning a deeper investigation into the rape allegations.
Komal was kidnapped from her home on 16th March 2020 and was gang-raped by five men for 2 months, after first being forcibly married to a Muslim man
and falsely converted to Islam. Komal is now living in a hidden place and she and her family face daily threats by cronies of the rapists intent on
thwarting justice.
At our behest Maria, assistant to Member of Provincial Assembly (MPA) Tariq Gill contacted Detective Superintendent (DSP) Javed Sadiq to enquire into
progress with the case.
DSP Javid Sadiq confirmed that his office has received all necessary paperwork from Lahore High Court.However, he advised Maria that he is on leave
for the marriage of his daughter and will only proceed with the investigation when he return from his authorised leave. He has not confirmed at this
point any date for his return.
British Asian Christian Association has always been at the forefront of this cases and our lawyer Sumaira Hussain, gave us an update. She said:
“Komal testified to the Police under section 161 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1898 (click here) and then to the Lahore Magistrates Courts unders section 164 of the same code.
“A higher value is attributed to the testimony given before a magistrate (admissible in court) and following the testimony of Komal in which she referred to a total of 5 rapists, police should have conducted an immediate investigation and arrested the men involved.
“Yet corrupt police officers have maintained form the outsets that the crime is not rape as Koma’ ‘legally converted and married a Muslim’.
“This is despite Komal being a deaf-mute and not being able to understand the Koran and an Imam basing her conversion and acceptance of marriage on his interpretation of her gestures – which no doubt themselves would have been forced.
“The Maulvi involved with the conversion and the marriage did not have a sign-language interpreter available for Komal.
“Police refused to apply section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code (rape law) to this case, based on a belief that Komal was not abducted but married willingly.
“This is despite Komal’s immediate expression of the truth when she finally met her parents.
The case was moved up the police ranks to the Inspector General and it has been agreed that the Central Investigation Agency will now review this case.
She further said,
“ Much of our hope lies on the findings of the report by the Central Investigation Agency.
“Kashif Ghulam Rasool and his mother perpetrated the crime this is obvious, it seems like police have accepted an inducement to weaken this investigation”
Juliet Chowdhry, Trustee for British Asian Christian Association, said:
“Not only should the perpetrators of the rape and all their cohorts and accomplices be punished – but the corrupt local police too.
“Under section 166 of the Pakistan Penal Code a public servant can receive up a sentence for up to 3 years for perverting the course of justice, and
I hope that a police inquiry results in a conviction.
“Komal is a victim of a huge injustice and the nations statutory authorities let her down.
“Her unfair treatment after such a horrifying attack is clear evidence of the need for a more concerted effort into changing Pakistan’s awful human
rights record.”
We have struggled with donations since the COVID-19 outbreak and are not taking any extra cases. We are desperate to ensure the families we are supporting have the support and legal assistance they need. Without your help we cannot see Komal’s case to fruition or similar help for the many other victims we are currently supporting. If you can help us free Christian women who have been raped, then shackled into forced Islamic marriages where they often become locked into violent situations or are sexually exploited then please donate (here).