Afridi vows 'exemplary punishment' for minor's killers
SHARED GRIEF: K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi breaks down as he consoles the father of a five-year-old child who was sexually assaulted and killed in Haripur. PHOTO: EXPRESS
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi on Saturday vowed "exemplary punishment" for those involved in the rape and killing of a five-year-old girl, assuring her family that the government would ensure justice.
The girl disappeared from outside her home in Haripur on August 10. Her body was found on August 24 in an abandoned well at a warehouse roughly a furlong from her house, following information provided by one of the four suspects arrested in connection with the case.
Visibly emotional during a visit to the deceased girl's home, the chief minister embraced her father and wept as he heard about the child's ordeal.
Afridi said those responsible for the heinous crime would be given exemplary punishment and no one would be allowed to remain above the law.
He directed the police and district administration to ensure that there was no negligence in the investigation or legal proceedings against the suspects.
"The entire country shares the grief of the victim's family," he said, adding that the government would not leave them alone and would provide all possible support.
The chief minister also announced that the K-P Child Protection and Welfare Act would be named after the victim and directed authorities to introduce further amendments to strengthen child protection laws.
A resolution to this effect would be presented in the next provincial assembly session, he said. He also announced that the high school in Pathan Colony, located near the victim's home, would be named after her.
Afridi urged the courts not to grant relief to those involved in serious crimes against children, saying such cases required strict punishment to deter similar incidents.
He also announced a Safe City project for Haripur at an estimated cost of Rs2 billion, saying enhanced security measures would help prevent serious crimes.
Separately, the K-P chief minister visited Abbottabad, where he inaugurated the state-of-the-art Abbottabad Park, developed over an area of 702 kanals at Shimla Hill.
He was briefed that the Abbottabad Park features 30 environmentally friendly baradaris and a 365-metre-long zipline.
The park has a total of 13,000 trees, including 6,000 newly planted trees, while no trees were felled or otherwise damaged during its construction.
The park also includes a dedicated play area for children and a cricket ground, along with six walking tracks for the public. Separate mosques have been constructed for men and women.