During July 2016, a female law student named Khadeeja Siddiqui became a victim of a horrible act. She was allegedly stabbed 23 times by her own classmate, Shah Hussain, son of famous lawyer Advocate Sayed Tanvir Hashmi.
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The incident took place outside Lahore’s Convent of Jesus and Mary where Khadeeja went to pick her sister Sofia. She was stabbed 23 times on her chest and neck. How she survived the brutality is no less than a miracle, given how severe her injuries were.
After a year, Khadeeja is still waiting for justice. She still lives with the horrible marks that were given to her for some unknown reasons. She still waits for the time when the judiciary of Pakistan will care about the victims more than those who hold power. Here’s how Khadeeja’s scars look now:
Facebook: Hassan Niaz
Barrister Hassan Niaz, Khadeeja’s legal advisor, and an activist made this following post which perfectly sheds light on the entire scenario and highlights how Khadeeja would have to share the same roof with Shah Hussain:
This is the throat of 21 years old Khatija.
Yes she was the victim of the famous stabbing that happened outside the convent school in Lahore.
It’s a miracle how she has survived even after being stabbed 23 TIMES by the son of a very famous lawyer Advocate Sayed Tanvir Hashmi. The boy who is alleged to have attacked khatija is Shah Hussain.Her family has been offered money to compromise and has repeatedly refused, in hope that the courts will serve them justice.
But it’s been a year since the accused tried to slit her throat open, yet Khatija is still struggling to seek justice.
Unfortunately this is Pakistan. This is how people belonging to the middle class and classes below survive. If you are a nobody, don’t belong to the elite class or hold a high status or position in this country, you are deemed to compromise, take compensation and drop the case.
Hats off to Khatija and her family who have stood their ground strong against the criminals, didn’t withdraw and still fighting for justice.
Justice Yawar Ali has upheld the bail given by the trial courts, to the accused and the accused Shah Hussain will be sitting next to Khatija on the 19th of May to appear in the Law examination. This is the worst kind of mental torture a victim could be put through to not only see her perpetrator walk free, but be in the same room as her to give the examination.
The whole point of writing this post is to spread the message and Tag the relevant people who can help Khatija get justice!
Justice delayed is justice denied.
(The picture contains only the marks on the neck. The medical report shows the rest of the marks all around her back chest shoulder and stomach. I had this picture for a year. I was avoiding posting it. Was hoping people to raise the issue without looking at her wounds. I guess that didn’t help)
Parhlo talked to Hassan Niazi who shared how Khadeeja is battling this incident with sheer confidence. He shared how she does not intend to seek revenge, but only wishes for justice to be served. Mr. Niaz shared with us how Khadeeja needs to appear in an exam later this month. While she is dealing with this unfortunate brutality very strongly, it is unfair, on the grounds of ethics, how the sadist will sit under the same roof as of the person he attacked. While she deals with the torture left on her skin on a daily basis, she would have to go through the same torture emotionally by seeing how her abuser walks in broad daylight without being questioned. As shared by Hassan Niaz, British Council was made aware of the entire situation by Khadeeja herself and her legal team.
Hassan Niaz requested the readers, especially the law students to fill the following petition which speaks against the appearance of Shah Hussain in the same hall room as of Khadeeja.
Here’s to hoping Khadeeja will get the justice she deserves and that British Council admits to this petition under the act of protection.
