Sexual Violence Against Women In Sindh, Pakistan Universities

21-02-2022

Kirsten O’Connell

Pakistan and Human Rights Researcher 

Global Human Rights Defence

There is a sexual violence epidemic ongoing in Sindh universities against women, and this is alarming. On September 16, 2019, Dr. Nimrita Kumari was found dead in her hostel room in Bibi Asifa Dental College in Larkana (part of the Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University). She had appearances of strangulation marks across her throat, which the university administration and police indicated was suicide by hanging, although none of them could explain where the rope she used to end her life had gone. Dr. Nimrita’s brother was adamant his sister was murdered, and his fears came to life when an autopsy report revealed the presence of male DNA on her clothes and on a vaginal swab. She was in fact, brutally raped and murdered by strangulation (Khuhro, 2022). 

Then, on November 24, 2021, Dr. Nosheen Kazmi, a medical student in her last year at Chandka Medical College was found hanging from the ceiling fan in her hostel room. The university administration and police once again claimed her death was by suicide, but Nosheen’s family also suspected foul play. The Forensic and Molecular Biology Laboratory for DNA testing at Liaquat Jamshoro revealed a 50 percent match between male DNA found on and within both women. Even though the match was not fully conclusive, the fact that DNA was found, means that the university administration and police failed in taking note and initiating a serious investigation. Instead, the Vice Chancellor, Dr. Anila Ahour Rehman said the reports were false and attempts at defaming the institution's reputation (Khuhro, 2022). 

Then comes Parveen Rind’s explosive allegations earlier this month, February 2022. She is a nursing student and house officer at the People’s University of Medical and Health Services for Women in Nawabshah. She alleged she was sexually harassed and threatened by three university officials, who locked her in the hostel room where she was staying and beat her to comply with their demands. Parveen uploaded a video on social media where she showed her bruises, as a result of the alleged beatings. Then, another girl Almas Behan alleged she faced similar harassment at Sindh universities and the investigation committee that was meant to help her, tried to intimidate her instead. Parveen claims the ‘suicides’ of women in Sindh universities are murders carried out, by an ongoing ring of rapists, harassers and murderers who operate with the university administration (Khuhro, 2022). 

She states this is why she has no faith in the investigation committee set up by the administration she is accusing. The Sindh provincial government has responded with inquiries, committees and investigations, but is this enough? These women like Parveen need to see proper actions taken and not just given empty statements of concern. Therefore, we must appreciate, Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court, Ahmed Ali Sheikh, who took notice of Parveen’s allegations and ordered the police to complete an investigation within 15 days. The Chief Justice openly said during the hearing, with Parveen present, that the accused person was in Nawabshah, and the complacent police were in Jamshoro conducting raids (Khuhro, 2022). 

Sources and further reading:

Khuhro, Z. K. (2022, February 17). Serial harassment and murder on Sindh’s university campuses? Arab News. Retrieved February 21, 2022, from https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2026921