ISLAMABAD – A young woman from southeastern Sindh says she was subjected to insult and mockery before being forced out of Pakistan’s human rights ministry on the International Human Rights Day.
Nayab Sikandar Umrani has been fighting for justice to her family, who were killed by her step brothers in a series of attacks in 2015. Originally from Jacobabad, Umrani now lives in Islamabad following life threats since she is an eyewitness to the murders.
In a video shared on Twitter from outside the Human Rights Ministry, the woman maintains she has not received a response from the minister concerned for two years now.
As she found it the right Day to reach Dr. Shireen Mazari, the woman says she was asked to leave the office by the latter’s staff after insulting remarks about the deceased victims.
“They asked me if my [deceased] brothers and sisters were some ministers that we should take notice of their case,” Umrani said, adding she was told it is “a showpiece ministry” that would not be able to help her.
In the end, she requested PM Imran Khan to post responsible people “who can help individuals like me”.
Umrani, in another tweet, accused PS to Minister of Human Rights Mr. Ibraar Khan of misbehaving with her.
“This statement is baseless,” the deputy director at MoHR said in a tweet, responding to Umrani’s video.
“She came to my office today, she wanted to take a picture with the minister, who was in attending a webinar,” he added.
https://twitter.com/mibrarkhan_mohr/status/1337049129596358659
He further said that the woman was requested to come later or make an appointment. “Regarding her case, the Minister had met with her at the time and wrote to Interior [ministry) a year ago,” the tweet read.
Umrani has told the Supreme Court that her step brothers had murdered her brother, mother, sister and sister-in-law to occupy their properties.
According to her petition filed in July, 2018, her sister-in-law Tahira Khoso was killed in 2015. Few months later, her brother Waqar Umrani was killed in Balochistan. Her elder sister, a lawyer by profession, was also killed by the same people for fighting the case.
Noting that no progress has been made in the case, just two weeks ago, the country’s top court had appointed Sher Afzal advocate the amicus Curiae in her case for retrieval of land encroached by grabbers. He is due to submit a report on the issue of division of property on Friday (Dec 11).
A 3-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Justice Umar atta Bandial and comprising Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Mazar Alam Miankhel heard her case regarding investigation of murders and request for protection.
Even though the woman has not received justice yet, social media was all support with #JusticeforNayabUmrani trending on Twitter.
You may not realize it, Nayab, but your #courage has given me strength at a time when I need it most. I hope you get justice. https://t.co/5PMWsPjrFz
— Cynthia D. Ritchie, M. Ed (@CynthiaDRitchie) December 10, 2020
Nayab has been struggling for over 2yrs for Justice against her step brothers who in greed for property & inheritance money killed their step siblings i.e. real sister and brother of Nayab. Nayab was forced to runaway to Islamabad from Jacobabad to save her life. @ShireenMazari1 https://t.co/i8fgXWd6Ve
— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) December 10, 2020
Justice for Nayab Umrani https://t.co/ZFD5lpcOiI
— AkhtarHussainJabbar (@akhtarshaikh84) December 10, 2020
