The district and sessions court investigation into the operations of Rawalpindi’s Dar-ul-Aman has unearthed shocking violations, including the unauthorized installation of closed-circuit cameras in women’s bedrooms.
The investigation, led by Civil Judge Saba Qamar, was initiated to address complaints regarding the treatment of women within the facility, particularly focusing on allegations of sexual harassment. The inquiry highlighted several alarming issues: beyond the invasive cameras, it was revealed that the facility’s staff had been providing stale and spoiled food to the residents, leading to nutritional deficiencies.
Judge Qamar’s detailed report paints a grim picture of life at the Dar-ul-Aman. It highlights numerous challenges the residents face, including privacy violations, harassment, discomfort due to male staff presence, substandard food quality, infestations of bedbugs and mosquitoes, poor sanitary conditions, and generally disrespectful treatment by the staff. All 13 women interviewed during her investigation expressed a unanimous desire to leave the facility, citing various grievances.
The catalyst for these investigations was a formal complaint lodged by a former resident named Sana, who, after only two days, left Dar-ul-Aman due to the deplorable conditions and mistreatment. Her allegations were severe, including accusations of forced prostitution, filming of women during searches and while asleep, mistreatment by staff, and overall poor living conditions.
Initial findings have validated some of Sana’s accusations, notably with the confirmation of the cameras in the women’s rooms.
The Express Tribune Pakistan noted that most women reported a satisfactory stay, the testimonies of two women corroborated Sana’s claims of mistreatment, unclean conditions, privacy breaches, poor food quality, and extortionate charges for contacting relatives.
These revelations have led to a broader examination of the facility’s practices and a commitment to ensuring such violations do not occur in the future. Ongoing judicial oversight is slated to address and rectify the systemic issues at the Dar-ul-Aman.
