SHO’s remarks sought on plea seeking action in child abuse case

LAHORE:

An additional district and sessions’ judge on Tuesday sought comments from Nishtar Colony SHO in a petition seeking directions for the police to record statements of a 12-year-old child allegedly sexually assaulted by a prayer leader and a witness to the incident.

Petitioner Abdul Ghaffar submitted that an FIR had been registered on his complaint against Qari Zeeshan for allegedly sexually assaulting his son. However, he said, ASI Shakeel Ahmed, the investigation officer, was reluctant to record statements of the child and the witness.

He said he had paid several visits to the police station but the IO had yet to record the statements and proceed with the investigations in accordance with law.

The FIR registered under Sections 377 (unnatural offence) and 511 (punishment for attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life or for a shorter term) stated that the child had been taking Quran lessons from the prayer leader at a mosque near his home. On March 26, the child did not return home in time upon which the petitioner and a neighbor, Muhammad Rafique, went to mosque to inquire about him. The FIR said that when the suspect was caught assaulting the child red-handed, he pulled out a pistol and threatened to kill the child if the matter was reported to the police. It said the suspect later fled the scene.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th,  2016.