ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday directed the secretary Ministry of Interior (MoI) to submit a reply in a petition of an Azerbaijani woman who was "illegally trafficked in Pakistan for prostitution".
A single bench of IHC comprising Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the petition of Jameela Nizami, daughter of Nizami, and resident of Baku, Azerbaijan, currently residing at Edhi Home, Islamabad.
The petitioner filed the petition through her counsels, Zia Ahmad Awan Advocate and Asma Mushtaq Advocate, and cited secretaries of the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Human Rights as respondents.
The IHC bench also directed the additional director legal Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the director Foreign Office to submit reply in this matter before the next hearing, and adjourned the proceedings till October 9th.
The petitioner stated that she was a citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan and presently residing in a shelter home under the care and administration of Edhi Welfare Trust.
She told that in 2011, she was trafficked from Baku, by an Azerbaijani woman namely, Ibrahimova Lali to Islamabad under the pretext of marriage with a Pakistani man.
Jameela stated that in Islamabad, Lali handed over her to a lady namely, Zareefay, who confiscated the travel documents of the petitioner, and took her to a brothel for prostitution.
Jameela further said that after three years, she was sold to an Azerbaijani woman, namely Beeka, who was running a brothel house in Karachi.
She mentioned that husband of Beeka namely, Asif was a Pakistani citizen permanently residing in Karachi and as per information, he was a drug supplier particularly, ice supplier.
The petitioner stated that in 2019, she managed to escape from the clutches of the brothel owners with the help of a friend, and took shelter in Edhi Homes.
The petitioner adopted that Edhi Welfare Home contacted Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs to assist in her repatriation process.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020