On Tuesday, a gang rape survivor from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for help saying that her family was being threatened in the PoK. She also sought shelter in India and protection for herself and her children.
In a video message, Maria Tahir, the gang rape victim made an emotional appeal to PM Modi to allow her to come to India. She said that the PoK courts, police, and the government had failed to ensure justice for her in the last seven years. She further claimed that politician Choudhary Tariq Farooq and police were blackmailing her and may kill her and her children anytime.
“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”, she affirmed.
#Justice4MariaTahir pic.twitter.com/630EQ6uYR1
— Maria Tahir (@MariaTa97679948) April 10, 2022
Earlier, in several other tweets she had mentioned that her life is in danger and that the police, government and the judiciary should protect her or should send her to Srinagar. She had also said that she would protest against the Supreme Court Islamabad and would call Prime Minister of another country for justice and protection.
Because of current senior minister of AJ&k CH Tariq Farooq, we are neither free nor safe in AJ&k. Our lives are in danger, police government justice agencies should protect our lives otherwise we should be sent to our state Srinagar@ImranKhanPTI @OfficialDGISPR @Masood__Khan
— Maria Tahir (@MariaTa97679948) November 29, 2020
According to the reports, Tahir has been struggling to see the accused Haroon Rashid, Mamoon Rashid, Jameel Shafi, Waqas Ashraf, Sanam Haroon, and three more punished who had sexually assaulted her in the year 2015. She approached the police and local politicians after her gang rape but failed to get justice
In the video, she further said that she had also written several letters to the PoK courts pleading for justice but the Court denied hearing the case. “The Court instead humiliated me and my family and said that granting justice was difficult as I am a married woman”, she had said. Maria Tahir is from Bhimber but now lives in the Mirpur district with her family.