Govt to introduce stringent ordinance against rape

Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced that the PTI led federal government is going to introduce a "stringent” and “holistic" ordinance to plug the loophole in the country’s existing laws against sexual abuse and rape.

“Next week we are bringing a stringent, holistic anti-rape ordinance closing all loopholes,” wrote the premier on micro-blogging site Twitter on Saturday.

According to the tweet, the premier also telephoned a Sindh police official, Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Muhammad Bux Buriro and lauded him and his daughter’s initiative and courage.

Buriro with the help of a team also comprising his daughter, son and other police officials busted a gang that had abducted and gang raped a woman and her 5-year-old daughter in Kashmore district of Sindh.

“The nation is proud of them and he [ASI Buriro] has given a positive uplift to the image of police,” the PM added.

T*, a resident of Karachi, told the Kashmore police that approximately two weeks ago, she and her daughter were kidnapped and sold to a man by a Rafiq Malak. According to her, Malak lured her to Kashmore under the pretense of offering a job for Rs30,000 per month.

The FIR stated that T* and her minor daughter had later travelled to Kashmore, where Malak and two of his accomplices detained them and subjected them to gang-rape at Malak’s residence.

Malak later released the mother, telling her that they would only let her daughter go if she brought them another woman from Karachi. The woman later approached a police station in Kashmir where ASI Buriro promised to help her with the help of a mobile phone number belonging to Malak.

The policeman later baited Malak with the help of his daughter into coming for a meeting at a park, where the alleged rapist was taken into custody.

A case was registered against Malak at the Kashmore police station under Sections 376, 344, 420 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), pertaining to rape, unlawful confinement, cheating and dishonesty and common intention.

Later, on the directives of Kashmore SSP Amjad Ali Shaikh, Section 365 of the PPC, pertaining to kidnapping, and Section 6/7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act were inserted in the FIR.

The suspect was, however, shot dead in a police raid in Kashmore-Kandhkot on Friday evening, while he was in police custody. The police said they raided a place near RD-109 area to arrest another suspect, Bugti, but he opened indiscriminate fire on the police.

The law enforcers, who claimed that they took Malak with them to identify Bugti, arrested the latter and seized the weapon with which he shot the bullets that hit Malak.