KARACHI, Oct 27: Parents of 18-year-old Tasleem Solangi, who was killed in an extremely inhumane manner allegedly by some elders of her tribe, have appealed to President Asif Ali Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah to provide them protection as “killers are still at large and have not been arrested because of their connections with police”.

Tasleem’s mother told reporters at the Karachi Press Club on Monday that her daughter was first thrown before hungry dogs and when she was mauled by them and in the jaws of death, she was riddled with bullets.

The act was staged before the girl’s father who was specifically brought from a house where he had been under detention for about a year.

The tragedy took place some time in the first week of March, but came to light when Tasleem’s mother succeeded in getting a news item published about her missing husband, Gulsher Solangi, on Oct 11. Gulsher’s captors then unlocked the room, providing him an opportunity to run away on Oct 16.

The mother, accompanied by her younger son, alleged that Tasleem was killed by brothers of her husband to grab their six acres of agricultural land and a small animal farm.

She said the killers first forced her husband to sign the papers, but on refusal by Tasleem they threatened her with dire consequences and eventually killed her, declaring a ‘kari’. The mother said that four years ago she was also declared a kari and her elder daughter Kulsoom was victimised in a similar manner.

She said she had come to know about the brutality through her husband and other relatives. She said the killers were roaming freely and had also threatened to eliminate her and other family members. “We are under constant fear for our lives.”

The mother appealed to the government to arrest the killers and return the property taken over by them.