Rights Lawyer's Legal Fight for Justice for Raped Victim Christian Girls

JARANWALA: Two Christian girls ,who are real sisters, allegedly gang-raped after kidnap at gunpoint, whilst using forest area as toilet last year on 28 November at evening 6:30 pm. The alleged both accused released from jail after granted bail from trial court Jaranwala.

The cancellation of bail petition no.3482/15 against Muhammed Azeem, one of the allegedly rapists of Sherish and Farzana, two Christians girls that were repeatedly raped and brutalised by five men, was fixed on 15th May 2015 in a Lahore High Court trial presided over by Justice Sardar Tariq Masood.

On this date the team of lawyers representing the accused man battled with BPCA partner LEAD attorney Sardar Mushtaq Gill , Human Rights Defender, and his team.  Both teams of attorneys set out their cases during which Mr.Gill pleaded for the evidence of the two sisters to be recorded away from the trial court in Jaranwala, he argued that the accused men and their cohorts are continuously extending threats towards witnesses for the victim sisters, their family and Gill himself whose brother was shot.

The lawyer of the accused  agreed to this undertaking  however Judge Sardar Tariq Masood directed the trial court to conclude the trial at Jaranwala court by 9th June 2015.  He warned Muhammed Azeem that any bad behaviour could lead to immediate re-arrest and incarceration of the both. Mr.Justice Masood spoke directly to Mr.Gill and instructed him to submit an application for re-arrest to the court should the accused or his cohorts create any further problems, advising Gill that the court would send Muhammed Azeem and Shahbaz back to jail immediately for any misdemeanour.

On 30th May 2015 the opening hearing was at trial court Jaranwala and the two sisters recorded their statements as did many of their witnesses including the complainant Ilyas Masih, father of the two sisters.

Police and the designated mediact practitioner have also submitted their evidences, which has been duly recorded.The lawyer of the Accused did not appear at the court, which has delayed the potential cross-examination also.  The next date for the trial court hearing has been fixed for today 4th June by the Additional and Session Judge Arshad Javaid.   

Today ,the trial case fixed for cross-examination of witnesses and one witness was disappeared from court after threats extended towards both private witnesses.The attorney of the accused refused to cross the witnesses on the pretext that one witness was not present.

Mr.Gill pleaded that the both private witnesses were being threatened to face dire consequences if they appeared for cross-examination.The one witness who was present in court stated that he was being threatened by the alleged accused to be fired at by them.The judge recorded it in interim orders.One complaint application has been also submitted in the concerned police station.

Now the case fixed for tomorrow because of the direction of Lahore High Court again for crss-examination of witnesses.Mr.Gill remains confident that justice will prevail for the two sisters,he said because we believe in justice which is being provided by Pakistani judiciary.