Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar has taken notice of women trafficking in twin cities.
The notice was taken on a news story published in a section of media under caption “Women trafficking in twin cities goes on unchecked” and a column “Sub Gongay Kun Ho Gay” narrating the story of a 40-year-old woman, mother of three hailing from Rawalpindi, who was sold to different hands and reached Afghanistan. Her abductors demanded Rs 300,000 to return the lady while police admitted that it couldn’t do anything in this situation.
The story further revealed that innumerable women from Pakistan were sold to Afghanistan by an organized gang (more than 150 members), through fake marriage deeds. There were also many cases where women were used for sex slavery.
The news story divulged that FIR of 40 year woman was registered on January 1, 2017 with Airport Police Station, Rawalpindi, but in vain as police were using conventional delaying tactics. The husband of the abducted woman, received a phone call of an agent from Afghanistan who demanded Rs 300,000 to release her wife otherwise he would sell her to someone else. Her husband being a daily wager, who hardly feeds his kids, could not manage such a huge amount to bring his wife back.
The story further revealed the details that agent paid Rs 50,000 to her husband and she was told that she would be back to Pakistan in 15 days. But when she told the reality to the Afghan handlers that she was married and having kids, the Afghan agent held her as captive and now he was demanding Rs 300,000 from Pakistani agents to cover his losses.
The news story further stated that Khanna Pull, Fauji Colony, Chuhur, Koh-e-Noor Mills areas in Rawalpindi city were the hub of this gang. There were more than 150 members of this gang who apparently worked under the guise of matchmakers. They used to track poor families having grown-up girls, bring some matches and offer a handsome amount of money to them. Once the parents agree they sell them either in Afghanistan or to any one in the country. Moreover gang have sold many Pakistani girls in Afghanistan or Afghan girls in Pakistan, to the old villagers through fake Nikkah solemnized by a Nikkah registrar, usually the prayer leader of a big mosque in the same vicinity on a commission of Rs 5,000 per Nikkah. An aged lady, residing in Swabi leads the gang’s activities in Afghanistan. She takes the girls with her to Jalalabad and sells them to Afghan agents. The gang keeps on changing their houses so as not be traced by their previous preys.
Taking notice of the issue, the CJP has called reports from IGP, Islamabad and Punjab within three days.