Woman moves court seeking protection from brothers

• Share in inheritance: Rukhsana Bibi says brothers subject her to death threats

LAHORE: A female resident near Lahore sought protection and moved a district court when her brothers allegedly assaulted her and gave death threats over a dispute regarding share in inheritance.

According to details, Rukhsana Bibi of Batapur had demanded her share in the inherited property at which her brothers Nawaz and Abrar allegedly tortured her. Rukhsana claimed that her children Majid Mumtaz and Abdullah were also assaulted while the whole family received death threats from the brothers.

Rukhsana wrote in her petition that she also went to police and demanded them of taking action against Nawaz and Abrar, and provide protection to the family. However, they did not take any protection due to the influence of her brothers, she added.

She said that she moved court when police could not provide her protection from her own brothers. Rukhsana has also requested the Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP).

Lahore Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Dr Haider Ashraf took notice of the matter and his spokesperson informed media that directives had been issued to all police station to provide immediate protection in such cases.

There has been an increase in the reported cases where women sought protection from their fathers and brothers in matters of property dispute. In Lahore alone, more than 200 such cases were filed in police, according to sources.

On April 7, a woman in Khanewal was allegedly subjected to brutal violence by her brothers over a property dispute. As per reports, the woman, a local farm worker, had demanded that her brothers hand over her share in the inherited property. After facing rejection, she had reportedly threatened she would sue for her rights in the court.

Before she could take such step, her brothers allegedly came for her while she was working on the farm. Her legs were chopped off with an axe, the woman told District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital, Khanewal. A doctor in the hospital said that her bones have been separated from her body.