Murder of 10-year-old Fatima, 3 people including Peer of Ranipur in custody, the investigation is ongoing

Dr Abdul Waheed Mastoi
SUKKUR: In the murder case of Fatima, a 10-year-old domestic worker, who was allegedly killed due to violence in Khairpur district, the police have arrested three persons, including a Peer, and obtained a four-day physical remand. The girl’s mother has alleged that the girl’s body had marks of torture and her arm was also broken. Police have obtained permission to exhume graves to investigate allegations of torture.
Pir Syed Asad Shah Jilani, known as Pir of Ranipur, along with his wife Hina Shah alias Sonia Shah have also been named in the case.
According to the details, Fatima daughter of Nadeem, a girl working at Syed Asad Ali Shah’s house, died this week. Shah informed to her parents by phone and told that she died due to continuous stomach pain and now comes and takes her dead body. After that, the parents buried the body without any police action.
But the matter became suspicious when the CCTV footage of Peer’s room surfaced on social media, in which the girl is writhing on the ground due to pain. In the heartbreaking video that went viral on social media, it can be seen that after some time the girl becomes silent.
After the viral video surfaced, the Ranipur police claimed that after taking statements from the girl’s parents, the case had been admitted to the office and no further action was felt.
However, when more videos of the girl’s swollen organs from alleged torture surfaced on social media, a high-level inquiry into the matter began. After which DIG Sukkur formed a three-member investigation committee to investigate the case.
After examining the motives and underlying factors behind the murder of the girl, the committee arrested Asad Ali Shah, the main accused of the murder, after which SHO Ranipur Amir Chang and the concerned hospital Incharge doctor was booked for allegedly concealing the crime and abetting the crime. Dr. Abdul Fateh Memon has been arrested for providing illegal assistance and a case has been registered and investigations have been started.
In the FIR, the police quoted the statement of the girl’s father and said that Fatema was also severely tortured inside the mansion, but he was unable to do anything due to his weakness. A police spokesperson said that they have also recovered a DVR from the crime scene, which is under investigation.
The Sindh Police spokesperson says that whatever facts come to light will be shared with the public. In this regard, the police are collecting evidence and other accused will also be brought to book.
On the other hand, the accused Pir Asad Shah has said in his statement that the viral videos are of my mansion but he has not tortured the girl. Speaking to the media, he claimed that he himself had given the videos inside the mansion to the police for investigation. Pir Asad further said that the girls who work in the mansion are left here by their pleasure and they are taken care of like their own children.
It is said that the main accused Pir Asad Shah is the nephew of former Member of National Assembly Pir Syed Fazal Ali Shah Jilani who belongs to Pakistan Peoples Party and his family is considered to be a very influential family politically and religiously in Khairpur.
Human rights activists say this is a case of religious exploitation, child labour, police negligence, torture and illegal detention, while it also shows that people are forced to make their children work due to poverty. This incident is also being strongly condemned on social media and the accused are being demanded to be severely punished.
Legal expert Ghulam Mujtaba jakhar who has vowed to fight the case of innocent Fatima despite the opponents whatever they may be powerfull and has expressed the fear that the medical and chemical report of Fatima can be changed with the connivance of the police. Confirmation should be done from the laboratories of Lahore.
He said that the medical and laboratory staff working in the province are under the influence of the provincial government and have no credibility while Pir Asad Shah’s family is very powerful.