One of the orphans at Darul Aman, who had accused ministers and government officials of “misusing girls living in the shelter home to fulfil their demands”, has been found dead under mysterious circumstances.
According to Afshan Latif — a former superintendent of the state-run shelter — the deceased, Iqra Kainat, has been murdered by those who wanted to protect the perpetrators of sexual abuse of the orphan girls.
In a series of videos that had earlier gone viral, Latif had said that she was being threatened for disclosing what the orphans at the shelter were being subjected to.
Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Usman Buzdar had also taken notice of the allegations after the former Darul Aman official had claimed that she was appointed in April 2019 and her predecessor used to bring strangers (men) inside the shelter late at night.
READ: Darul Aman superintendent says orphan girls being ‘misused’ by minister, govt officials
However, even after her appointment, Latif had alleged that illegal practices continued at the centre. In this regard, she had filed a complaint against certain high-ups for pressuring Latif to marry underage girls to high-ranking officials.
The ages of the destitute girls were between 15 to 17 years-old, and they were forcefully married off to favoured bureaucrats and a provincial minister, Latif alleged in her video message.
In reference to authorities and those involved, she had said that they were trying to wipe out evidence and requested people to spread her message. Latif had added that she did not know what was to happen to her and where she would be taken now.
