Muzaffarabad [PoJK]: A gang rape survivor from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), who has been fighting for justice for the past seven years, now seeks Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s help for a shelter and protection as she and her children face a life threat.
In an emotional video message, Maria Tahir said, “I am a gang rape victim fighting for justice for the past seven years. The PoJK police, the governments and the judiciary have failed to provide me justice.”
She added, “Through this video, I am appealing to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to allow us to come to India. My children are facing life threats. The local police and a senior politician, Choudhary Tariq Farooq, will anytime kill me and my children. I wish to request PM Modi to provide us shelter and protection.”
Maria has been running from pillar to post to seek hard punishment for those involved in the heinous crime in 2015. In her earlier video, she narrated the incident. She said, “Haroon Rashid, Mamoon Rashid, Jameel Shafi, Waqas Ashraf, Sanam Haroon and three more were involved in crime against me”.
She approached the police and local politicians but failed to get justice. She even wrote several letters to local authorities, including the Chief Justice of Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir and got the humiliating response that she is a married woman.
Many rape survivors and their families in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir are afraid to come forward to publicly confront perpetrators because they fear being shunned by their community. (ANI)
