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Ansar Burney’s
Great efforts,
Jail Birth Not be mentioned in Certificate:
The Nation, 19/03/1989
ISLAMABAD – The place of birth of children
born inside the Prisons will, henceforth be named after
the cities and not the Prisons, as was the previous
practice in Pakistan.
The Interior Ministry on the directive of Prime Minister,
Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, did this when the Ansar Burney
Welfare Trust International brought the matter to her.
Mr Ansar Burney, Advocate, Chairman of the Trust, told
APP that the children whose birthplace was mentioned
after the Jails, where they were born, remain psychologically
disturbed for no fault on their part. Therefore, it
was necessary to bring this lacuna to the notice of
the high authorities.
Prime Minister, Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, on receiving
the letter of Mr Ansar Burney, Advocate immediately
directed the Interior Ministry to do the needful to
remove that lacunae.
Directive Issued;
No Female Convict to be lashed by male now
Morning News; 06/12/1987
ISLAMABAD – The Federal Government has issued
directives to all the four provincial governments that
a male person should lash no female convict in future.
The order was issued on the request made by the President
of the Prisoners Aid Society, Mr Ansar Burney, Advocate.
Previously male Superintendents of the Jails (Prisons)
used to execute the sentence of lashes, awarded to female
convicts against which he had requested the President
and the Prime Minister of Pakistan to order that only
females should be employed to execute a sentence of
stripping a woman convict instead of male.
Mr Ansar Burney has thanked the Federal and the provincial
governments for taking the decision on his request.
United States Officials Praise
Ansar Burney Trust
Morning News; 28/06/1989
KARACHI – The United States officials on human
rights have praised the great efforts of the Ansar Burney
Welfare Trust International for the protection of human
rights and offered their cooperation.
Mr David J. Rabadan, regional officer of the U.S. Department
of State for Human Rights, Washington, and Mr Phillip
L. Antweiler, International Relations Officer of US
government yesterday visited the office of the Ansar
Burney Welfare Trust International and met it’s
Chairman Mr Ansar Burney.
They discussed matters relating to human rights in
Pakistan and appreciated the great efforts being made
by Mr Ansar Burney.
Mr Burney informed the U.S. officials that the present
democratic Government of Prime Minister Mohtarma Benazir
Bhutto was taking measures to protect human rights in
Pakistan.
Dubai
Police Shield for Mr Ansar Burney
27th September 2000
The Police Chief of Dubai (UAE), Lieutenant General,
Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, in recognition to great human
rights services presenting a Dubai Police Shield to
Mr Ansar Burney.
Underage
and young children in Iron Chains before they rescued
Underage
and young children in Iron Chains on slave
Mother
raped in custody later an innocent Boy born that released
after 40 long years; due to the efforts of Mr Ansar
Burney:
Lahore; 20th February 1988
 LAHORE
– Believe it or not; an innocent man Mohammed
Akhtar, 40, who was born within the high walls of Prison,
released today and seen free world after 40 long years.
He was released only because of the hectic efforts of
Ansar Burney, Advocate.
Since his birth in the prison, Akhtar was unaware of
any freedom. Akhtar spent his 40 long precious years
including his childhood within the high walls. He took
his free breath in the free atmosphere after his birth
of fourty long years. His release came fruitful only
because of Mr Ansar Burney.
According to details a young woman was arrested by
the police and sent to the Jail in 1946. During custody
innocent lady was raped. Unfortunate lady gave a birth
to a son in 1948. Someone cynically christened the boy
Mohammed Akhtar.
No one wanted to claim Akhtar for his own. During custody
his mother died when he was only five or six. 
When Mr Ansar Burney got the release of Akhtar and took
him out in a free atmosphere, the boy was unable to
cross the Road. Mr Ansar Burney took the finger of Akhtar
in his hand and crossed the road.
Akhtar after came out from the high walls, was looking
every thing as he was born today.
Mr Ansar Burney, who was
instrumental, is hoping other innocents who are behind
the bars on crime they had never committed. Mr Ansar
Burney has become an ‘Angel’ for the innocents
in Pakistan.
After getting the release of a man who was born in
the Prison because of rape to his mother, Ansar Burney
has left for Karachi along with Akhtar.
At last the great efforts of Mr Ansar Burney, Advocate
has become fruitful as Akhtar got released after fourty
long years, after of his birth.
Ansar Burney who is become a hope of justice for innocents,
said I want to know from the Government that who will
return the long 40 years of Akhtar including his childhood
to him? Who is going to do justice with the soul of
an innocent mother of Akhtar who died after giving birth
to her son? He said the government should do justice
in the matter.
Believe
it or not - Kids aged between 3 to 5 years kept in Jail
for 9 Years
Daily News; 1st February 1990
KARACHI, Feb. 1 (APP) - No-body will believe it. But
it is both tragic fact and apathetic that nine innocent
children were arrested by the police when they were
only of three to five years of age and kept in the Prison
for as long as nine years without any legal grounds.
But Mr. Ansar Burney, Chairman, Ansar Burney Welfare
Trust International, as soon as he came to know about
the apathetic condition of these children swiftly, initiated
legal process to secure their release and arrange their
reunion with their parents – who by now must have
considered their lost children as dead.
The presence of these children, who are now 12 to 15
years old, came to light only when Mr. Ansar Burney
paid a surprise visit to the Remand Home situated in
Nazimabad in a rented premises.
He was really shocked when he learnt that these children
were brought here in 1981 when they were merely three
to five years of age. Police brought them there on the
orders of Additional City Magistrate and Sub-Divisional
Magistrate concerned and then forgot about them. No
one bothered to contact their parents or relatives who
must have spent days and night in their search.
These children had either lost their way to their homes
or separated from their parents while traveling with
them.
As soon as Mr Burney collected details about these
children, he moved an application before the District
Magistrate, Central, Mr Mohammed Aslam Sanjrani, requesting
for the release of these children. The District Magistrate
too would not believe it if such thing could happen.
He, however, forwarded Mr Burney’s application
to the Additional District Magistrate, Malik Asrar Hussain,
who ordered the Superintendent of Remand Home for production
of children before him yesterday at 11:00 A.M.
On production, ADM Malik Asrar Hussain made personal
queries from the children who informed that since they
were detained at the Remand Home they had not seen the
outside world.
After hearing Mr Ansar Burney, Advocate in person,
the Additional District Magistrate, in his order said
that according to the perusal of record and statement
of the Superintendent and Jail that these children were
not in bond and had never been involved in any crime
and they had been remanded in this place for protection
from District Magistrate and SDM court. The sole purpose
of keeping them in Jail was to protect them and hand
over to their kith and kin when ever possible.
The court observed that from the perusal of the record,
it transited that no tangible efforts had been made
to locate the kith and kin. If at all any half-hearted
attempt had been made, it yielded no results. The Court
further noted that the period of confinement ranges
between three to nine years which amounted to indifference
of highest disorder.
According to the plea of Mr Ansar Burney, Advocate
for release of the children and handing over their custody
to Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International for arranging
their reunion with their rightful parents. The Court
orders the Superintendent Jail to handover these children
to Mr Burney immediately.
The Court directed Mr Burney to keep Court informed
about the progress made for their rehabilitation of
these children. The court said that it passed the order
in the interest of justice and well being of children.
The children got released by Mr Ansar Burney are (1)
Mohammed Aslam s/o Syed Sharif (2) Naeem s/o unknown,
remanded to jail at the age of three. (3) Imran s/o
Qassim, remanded at the age of four, (4) Yar Mohammed
alias Yaroo, remanded at the age of three. (5) Imran
s/o Nasir, remanded at the age of five. (6) Sultan s/o
Saleem, at the age of five.
Three remaining children do not know their own names.
However, one unknown was named in jail as Ghulam Rasool.
The Second one as Tufail and the third one were called
as Mamoon. Imran s/o Nasir, has developed tuberculoses
(TB) which was detected on Jan. 07, 1989.
Imran knows nothing about his parents, but he does
know that his father was flyer.
One Sultan s/o Saleem, knows that he hails from Samanabad,
Lahore. His mother’s name is Kiran. He says that
he had come to Karachi to meet his uncle. He somehow
got lost in the city and was remanded in Jail by police.
Yaroo remembers himself as having come from Tando Mohammed
Khan (Sindh). While other children know nothing.
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Efforts
of Ansar Burney - Abu Dhabi Police rescue two boys from
Al Ain
They were kidnapped from their home in
Pakistan three months ago
Daily Gulf News (Dubai); 5th November 2000
By Sunita Menon
DUBAI - Two young Pakistani boys have been rescued
from Al Ain camel farm through swift action by Abu Dhabi
police, and are now safely in police custody in Al Ain.
The boys, Shajar, aged six, and Shajawar, four, were
kidnapped from their home in Dera Ghazi Khan in the
North Western Province, Pakistan, three months ago.
They were brought illegally to the UAE, via Iran, by
two unscrupulous agents named Gul Ahmed and Sharo Mai
on forged passports and with false birth certificates.
In the UAE, the boys were sold to a Pakistani agent
for Dh20,000 each.
The use of young boys as camel jockeys is illegal in
the UAE. They were banned in January 1993 by the Camel
Race Association in accordance with the directions of
President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The regulations prohibit children from racing camels
and state that all jockeys must weigh at least 45 kilograms
in keeping with the international standards set for
horse jockeys.
The kidnapping of the two boys came to light when their
relatives lodged a complaint with the Ansar
Burney Welfare Trust International in Karachi.
 Burney,
who came to the UAE in search of the boys, told Gulf
News that the family of the kidnapped boys told him
that the boys' father was working in Dubai.
"We thought that it would be better to get in touch
with the father and start our investigation by organising
a hunt for the boys. They were spotted in Al Ain."
Ansar Burney said.
"When we visited the camp we were not allowed to
get anywhere near the boys by the camp supervisors who
were mostly Asian. To overcome this problem, we got
in touch with the Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi who
were quick in enlisting the support of General Sheikh
Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Under-secretary at the Ministry
of Interior." Burney added.
"The Abu Dhabi police responded positively by sending
two police CID officers along with us to the camp. The
boys were handed over to us without any further hassle
from the camp authorities." Ansar Burney said.
A Pakistan Embassy spokesman said that once the legal
formalities are completed in the UAE the boys will be
repatriated to Pakistan.
Ghulam Rasool, the father, speaking to Gulf News, said
he was unaware that his boys had been kidnapped and
brought to UAE.
"The entire matter came to light when I called
home to talk to my kids. I was shocked when my wife
told me that the kids are with me. I was totally lost
and had no idea where to search for them.
"When I spotted them in the camel camp in Al Ain
I could not believe my eyes. They had become so weak
and had severe injuries to their legs. I would love
to return home with them but then I am the only earning
member of the family." Said Rasool.
Six year old Shajar, who spoke to Gulf News, said that
the kidnappers told him that he would be meeting his
father in Dubai.
"But when I came here they started treating me
badly. When ever I asked them about my father I was
told to shut my mouth."
Shajawar is undergoing treatment for leg injuries at
the Abu Dhabi government hospital.
The whereabouts of Gul Ahmed and Sharo Mai are not known.
It is believed they are no longer in the UAE.
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Pakistani
Boys were smuggled in by couple posing as parents
Young brothers rescued
Daily Khaleej Times (Dubai); 05th November
2000
By a staff reporter
DUBAI – Two brothers, aged six and four years,
who were smuggled into the UAE from a remote Pakistani
village, have been rescued, but the couple who brought
them posing as their parents are reportedly at large.
The boys’ father, Ghulam Rasool, who works as
a gardener in Dubai, had no idea that his children,
Shajar Abbas, 6, and Sajawal, 4, had been living a pathetic
life in a camp near Al Ain’s Coco-Cola Round about
for the past three months.
Sajawal is now bed-ridden after suffering serious injuries
to both his legs after falling from a camel’s
back. He became hysterical when police raided the place
where they were staying.
Ansar Burney, a Pakistani lawyer and human
rights activist, helped the police trace the two children
last Tuesday after hectic efforts over the past three
weeks.
It is learnt that the police have taken into custody
for questioning a Pakistani expatriate, Nazir, who allegedly
played the key role in smuggling the two boys and five
other children for training them to ride camels.
“It is unfortunate that some Pakistanis are involved
in this heinous crime.” Mr Burney said.
He said UAE police had been extending full cooperation
in rescuing children who had fallen prey to this “organized
crime”.
“We are able to rescue children only in those
cases where we are able to find the missing links and
have concrete information about their presence.
“We don’t want to reveal details of the
functioning of this organized crime as it will affect
the investigations,” said Mr Burney, who had previously
rescued other Pakistani children so smuggled, the last
being a nine-year-old boy Mohammed Zubair, who was languishing
in an Abu Dhabi Police station a few weeks ago.
He said it was sad that young children were still being
brought into the Gulf States from various countries
by unscrupulous elements despite a Presidential Order
(No 4/2/1652) issued in October 1984 banning use of
children less than 10 years of age and weighing less
than 28kg for camel racing.
Mr Burney said the two boys are likely to be repatriated
in a week’s time after completion of necessary
formalities.
Talking to Khaleej Times yesterday before leaving Dubai
for Karachi, Mr Burney said the boys were taken from
their illiterate grandmother by a person residing near
their home in Basti Qaimwala in Dera Ghazi Khan village
of Punjab province on the pretext of making passports
to send them to their father who had not been in touch
with the family for a long time.
The children were in the custody of their grandmother
after the death of their mother nearly a year ago.
When the boys did not return and the person who took
them remained untraceable, a complaint about the missing
children was lodged with the police and the Missing
persons Bureau run by the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust
International.
Initially, the efforts to trace them were concentrated
in Pakistan. Following a tip-off that the boys were
camping somewhere in the UAE, Mr Burney started the
search for them, with the help of local community leaders
Mohammed Azeem, Ashraf Siddiqui, Abdul Sattar Pardesi,
Karim Khan and Taher Tufail, and Noorullah Khan, Minister
at the Pakistan Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
An appeal for intervention and help was made to the
office of the under-secretary at the Ministry of Interior
in the last week of October and that eventually led
to the police raids.
He said two Pakistani nationals, Gul Ahmed Khan alias
Shajju and Shahroo Mai, who posed as parents of the
boys, left them at a camp for camel riders in Al Ain.
The two boys were threatened with dire consequences
by the couple unless they remained silent.
“I cannot reveal more details as it will affect
the investigations here and also in Pakistan,”
Mr Burney said, adding that the boys were first taken
to Iran and then brought here.
He said the immigration and other authorities in the
UAE and Pakistan were forced to believe that the two
boys were the children of the couple as the passport
of the woman had a photograph with the two boys sitting
in her lap.
The couple had also allegedly made fake identification
cards and birth certificates for the children, which
showed them as their children.
“The person to whom the custody of these
children was given for a huge sum believed the couple’s
version” that the boys were their children. Said
Mr Burney.
It is believed that the couple has left the Country.
ABWT
succeeds in tracing out parents of Tipu
Daily News; October 24, 1991
By Staff Reporter
KARACHI, Oct 24: The Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International
finally succeeded in tracing out parents of a 12 year
old boy, Tipu Sultan, who was away from his parents
for the last five years. However, his mother not embraces
his son as she died only three months ago.
 According
to details; Tipu Sultan who was living with his parents
at Shahwaliullah Nagar, Sector No 11-1/2 Orangi Town
lost his parents at the age of five (5) while seeing
Moharram procession in the City. Later Police found
him and sent him to Remand Home (Prison).
The Trust Chairman, Mr Ansar Burney, Advocate during
his visit to the Remand Home two and a half years ago,
met several children and brought nine of them including
Tipu Sultan to his Trust office. Efforts were made to
trace out parents of these children. And five among
nine were, however, handed over to their parents.
Only two days ago, Burney Trust came to know about
the parents of Tipu Sultan. Trust volunteers looked
for the house and finally handed over the boy to his
father Mohammed Salim Khan.
Mr Salim Khan told the Trust volunteers that after
months search he had become disappointed of getting
back his son. He also informed that Tipu’s mother
who used to weep always for him, died only three months
ago. He thanked Ansar Burney Trust for its efforts in
tracing out his son.
Meanwhile, Trust is looking for the parents of the
remaining three children who were lost 12 or 13 years
ago.
CHILD
RIGHTS VIOLATION
Human Rights violations; Farooq 9 years old
young boy and Nomi
only 7 years old in Karachi Police custody with iron
chains in their
small hands. Instead of Toys and Books in their hands
Police arrested
them and handcuffs them with iron chains.
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