Fear of further delay in Fatima case after police officers transferred

There are fears of further delay in 10-year-old Fatima’s case as police officers working on the child’s mysterious death have been reappointed.

Currently, the new SSP Khairpur, Samiullah Soomro, has taken charge of his post.

Pir Asad Shah, the main suspect, and compounder Imtiaz Merasi, are on physical remand while accused Hina Shah and her father could not be arrested.

Police say that Asad Shah’s recovered DNA samples have been sent to Lahore, adding that it will take more time to receive relevant reports.

According to police sources, the final post-mortem report of the girl has not been received yet.

Fatima’s case

A domestic maid, 10-year-old child Fatima Phuriro was found dead under suspicious circumstances in Ranipur city, District Khairpur.

The child had been working as a domestic worker at a haveli owned by an influential local, Pir Asad Shah Jilani.

Fatima’s mother, Shabana, was informed about the death by the employer who asked her to remove the body from the premises where two of Fatima’s sisters are also employed.

According to DIG Sukkur Javed Jiskani, the parents initially did not share the facts of the case with the police and claimed that the girl was suffering from gastroenteritis. While her diagnosis was also confirmed by Dr Abdul Fatah Memon who treated her, the DIG revealed that Fatima was taken to the hospital either by the Pir or his staff and that the SHO was present at the time she was pronounced dead.

It was not until videos of torture were leaked by an unknown source and circulated in social media that the case caught media’s eye. By then, the family had buried Fatima on August 15.

The body was later exhumed and sent for an autopsy which revealed that the child had been raped both vaginally and anally.