SC chastises K-P police for ‘total failure’ in Asma case

Observes police lack capacity, facilities to investigate

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has observed that the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) police have completely failed to deliver in the case of abduction, rape and murder of a child in Mardan.

The apex court’s three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, made this observation on Tuesday while hearing a suo motu case related to the killing of a four-year-old girl, Asma, whose body was found in a sugarcane field in Mardan on January 14.

“Why the K-P government has no forensics lab of its own to test the DNA. You have no capacity to investigate the matter and you are dependent on Punjab government. This is a total failure of K-P,” the CJP remarked.



K-P Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Alam Khan Shinwari told the bench that 350 people had been interrogated so far, and a few suspects had been identified as well. “We are currently waiting for the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) to send results of the DNA test report. It is expected that result will be provided this week,” he added.

He also revealed that a condom had been found at the crime scene. He claimed that it was a ‘blind case’, and evidence had yet to be gathered. Here another member of the bench asked why the police could not proceed without the DNA report.

The bench also summoned father of Asma, who expressed satisfaction with the police investigation. The DIG made it clear that there was no political interference in police affairs in K-P and Rs500,000 has been announced as a reward for the arrest of the killer.



The CJP later asked the registrar office to contact the PFSA director general and inquire as to when the agency would provide the DNA report to the K-P police. The court later adjourned the hearing of the case till February 6.

Meanwhile, taking notice of the murder of Asma Rani, a third-year medical student, in Kohat, the CJP asked K-P Inspector-General of Police Salahuddin Mehsud to submit a report on the case within 24 hours. He asked how the suspect – the nephew of a local PTI leader – left the country and what measures had been taken to bring him back.

Katas Raj case

Seeking a report on drying up of the fabled pond at Katas Raj temples, the three-judge bench sought a timeline from cement factories situated around the sacred Hindu site over alternate arrangements for water. The bench told the factories that after the end of the timeline, they will not be allowed to take water from tube wells, which are causing a shortage of underground water in the area.



The bench also sought the complete profile of the Evacuee Property Trust Board Chairman Sadiqul Farooq, as it expressed concern on his appointment. “There should not be political nepotism,” CJP Nisar said.

Hindus believe the sacred pond was created from the teardrops of Shiva. It is now said to be drying up because of large amounts of water being sucked by nearby cement factories which have allegedly drilled hundreds of bores, severely reducing the subsoil water level.

 Litigation on CPEC

Justice Mian Saqib Nisar also summoned a meeting of chief justices of all high courts to develop a mechanism to deal with legal disputes emerging in relation to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“I invite all chief justices for a discussion on how to evolve a mechanism that can resolve CPEC related litigation,” the CJP said. “CPEC is such an important project for Pakistan.” The meeting will be held on Saturday in Islamabad.