A Sufi Muslim Father Abetted Death of His Own Daughter

Self-proclaimed Sufi condemns family to death & ruin

By

Zulfiqar Memon

Dec 12 2009

NAWABSHAH, PAKISTAN: The murder of a young girl with her father’s abetment has made the life of Shahzadi, a living hell. Though, Imamzadi is no more in the world but her mother, Shahzadi is guided by her daughter in dreams to keep pursuing justice.

With tears rolling down the cheeks and voice choked with emotions, she told Dawn at the Women Centre Shaheed Benazirabad on Saturday that the 16-year-old Shahzadi had refused to marry the follower of her father which tagged her a ‘kari’.

My innocent daughter was axed to death on July 17, 2006, in village 68 Mori Taluka Daur by the followers of her father, Ghulam Hussain alias Niaz Ali Brohi, she whined.

An intermediate student, she was also getting the training of Lady Health Visitor and was on vacations when targeted, said Shahzadi adding that her husband, a self-proclaimed Sufi, lived with a number of disciples in an abode near their house.

She further said that Basit alias Patasho Chandio, a criminal and a drug addict and her husband’s follower concocted a story over Imamzadi’s refusal to his marriage proposal.

“Basit convinced Ghulam Hussain Brohi, also a drug addict, that her daughter was involved with a man of Rind tribe after which, the two along with others, barged into the house and attacked the girl with clubs and axes even though I kept pleading with the holy book in hands to spare my child but to no avail and the culprits escaped from there,” said Shahazadi between the sobs.

“I was taken to Jam Saheb police station for case registration but few tribal elders forcibly took me away from there and lodged me in Larkana in a sedate condition”, she added.

Later, Ghulam Hussain Brohi along with other culprits persuaded the couple’s 13-year-old son Ahsan into confessing the crime on the plea that juveniles are exempted from severe punishment and kept the woman at different places when she escaped from Hyderabad and reached Nawabshah.

“I met police officials and influential politicians but in vain but somehow managed the bail of my son,” she said. “The accused attacked me when I visited the village, besides hurling threats of dire consequences after which I was sent to Women Centre by Faryal Talpur.”

Manager Women Centre Naseem Hassan Mastoi acknowledged the woman’s account and even approached the DPO, many a time, for justice.

Legal Officer Farhana Erum told Dawn that the FIR was registered on the judge’s order after she filed an application in the Court of Third Additional District and Sessions Judge.

Police did register a case for threatening Ms Shahzadi but no arrests were made even after the second FIR, said Farhana Erum adding that police sent the woman to this Centre up till the time they found a safer alternate for her.

SP Investigations, Shaheed Benazirabad, Aijaz Tareen told Dawn that the police had already registered an FIR on court’s directives against the deceased’s father Ghulam Hussain Brohi, Basit alias Patasho Chandio, Ghulam Nabi Brohi, Hayat Sher, Mubarak Sher and Raheem Bux Chandio.

Culprits nominated in the murder case of Imamzadi would soon be arrested, he said.