ISLAMABAD: The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) has expressed reservations about the investigation being carried out in a case of public dishonouring of a woman in Haripur.

A delegation of NCSW led by its chairperson, Ms Anis Haroon, met Hazara Division Commissioner Khalid Khan Umerzai and Deputy Inspector-General Police Dr Mohammad Naeem Khan in Abbottabad on Wednesday and alleged that a religious leader of the area was using his influence in the case and therefore his role needed to be properly investigated, an NCSW press release said.

According to NCSW findings, the jirga members, who had passed the verdict, had not been implicated in the FIR.

The unfortunate woman, who was also present during the meeting between NCSW and Hazara Commissioner and DIG, said that she was made to pay for the sin she had never committed. “I had no clue about any jirga verdict.

Four men just entered my home and started beating me.

Then they dragged me outside into the street and stripped me naked,” she said with a choking voice. There was nobody at home except her younger son who was unable to protect her from humiliation in the presence of four armed persons.

“Nobody came to my rescue. The whole village remained a silent spectator,” she said with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Commissioner Umerzai briefed the NCSW delegation about the investigation being carried out and assured that the case would not be hushed up and everything would be made public. “I am personally looking into the matter,” he said. “This is the first reported case of this nature in the area,” he added.

DIG Hazara Dr Mohammad Naeem Khan informed the delegation that around 22 villagers including the religious leader had also been booked for not coming to the aid of the woman.

Source: Dawn

Date:6/23/2011