Pakistani police arrest suspects in gang-rape of 10-year-old girl who survived floods

Police patrol in the Saddar market area of Karachi, Sindh on May 24, 2021. (AFP/File)
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Updated 26 October 2022
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Pakistani police arrest suspects in gang-rape of 10-year-old girl who survived floods

  • Family of girl fled village after floods in Sindh’s Shikarpur district, were living on a footpath in Karachi
  • Rape took place on Sunday night, survivor was taken to hospital in critical condition on Monday evening

KARACHI: Police in the southern Pakistani province of Sindh said on Wednesday they had arrested two suspects in the rape of a 10-year-old girl whose family had survived devastating floods in their village and were living on a footpath in the port city of Karachi.

The family of the girl fled their village in Sindh’s Shikarpur district last month, according to a police report, and were currently squatting in Karachi’s upscale Clifton neighborhood.

“Both suspects accused of the rape have been arrested from Karachi and Tando Allahyar yesterday,” Asad Raza, a Senior Superintendent of Police, told Arab News, identifying the suspects as Ghulam Rasool and Khalid Hussain Lund.

“Ghulam Rasool drives a Careem cab. Him and his friend Khalid Hussain Lund picked up the girl by luring her with food,” the police officer said. DNA sample had been collected from both suspects, he added. “Police caught the suspects with the help of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.”

Karachi police surgeon Dr. Summaiya Syed told Arab News the rape took place on Sunday night, after which the survivor was taken to the Jinnah Post-Graduate Medical Center (JPMC) in critical condition on Monday evening.

“It’s horrible, had she not been provided treatment for one more hour, she would have died because she was brought in a life-threatening situation and with excessive blood loss,” Syed said, saying the child was out of danger now.

Last month, another girl was also reportedly gang-raped after she went to receive relief goods in the flood-hit Sanghar district of Sindh.

At least 2,211 children faced different forms of sexual and other abuse in Pakistan between January to June this year, Sahil, a non-profit organization working against child sexual abuse, said in a report compiling data from 88 national and regional newspapers.

Fewer than three percent of sexual assault or rape cases result in a conviction in Pakistan, according to the Karachi-based advocacy group War against Rape.


Pakistan to discuss regional issues, economic ties at UAE summit this week

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Pakistan to discuss regional issues, economic ties at UAE summit this week

  • Deputy PM Ishaq Dar to attend Sir Bani Yas Forum from Dec. 12-14, says Pakistan foreign office
  • Senior statemen, policymakers expected to discuss security and economic cooperation at summit

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar will attend the Sir Bani Yas Forum in the UAE from Dec. 12-14 to discuss regional issues with world leaders and explore economic partnerships, the foreign ministry said on Friday. 

The three-day summit features senior statesmen, policymakers and global experts from around the world with discussions likely to revolve around key regional and international issues such as peace, security and economic cooperation.

Dar, who is also Pakistan’s foreign minister, attended the 15th edition of the Bani Yas Forum last year. He is attending this year’s summit at the invitation of his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the foreign office said. 

“During the Forum, the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister will engage with international leaders and experts on matters related to regional stability, sustainable development, and the expansion of economic partnerships,” the statement said. 

“He will also present Pakistan’s perspectives on promoting dialogue, addressing regional challenges, and fostering enhanced opportunities for economic cooperation.”

The Forum is expected to feature important discussions on Israel’s war in Gaza and the fragile ceasefire in the Middle East. 

Pakistan has consistently criticized Israel for violating the ceasefire in Gaza and has called on the international community to intervene and ensure the fragile agreement does not collapse. 

Islamabad has also been eyeing economic partnerships with regional allies, particularly Gulf countries, at such global summits in recent months. 

It has entered into economic, defense, trade and investment agreements with traditional allies such as China, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar and Central Asian states in recent months.