To the gallows: Rape convicts sentenced to death in Gilgit-Baltistan

Both men molested Grade XI student in Skardu

GILGIT: Two men convicted of raping a woman in Skardu town in Gilgit-Baltistan earlier this year have been handed the death sentence by an anti-terrorism court in Gilgit.

The decision was announced by judge Raja Shehbaz Khan on Tuesday, a lawyer who attended the proceedings said on Wednesday. In addition to the death sentence, the court also sentenced both men to 34 years of imprisonment which they will have to serve before being sent to the gallows.

The rape victim, an 11th grade student, was returning home from a tuition centre in March when she was abducted by Shakeel Ahmed and Ahmed Hussain. They took her to a nearby house where she was raped.

Shakeel and Hussain were arrested the next day following a complaint by the victim’s father. The case was referred to an anti-terrorism court which announced the decision within four months.

Meanwhile, Gilgit police booked three men under the Anti-Terrorism Act for allegedly gang raping a 20-year-old woman in Gilgit on July 26. The victim, a resident of Gojal Valley and an undergraduate student, was allegedly gang raped by Zulfiqar, Asif and Adnan.

Misuse of vehicles

Meanwhile in G-B, lawmakers voiced concerns over the misuse of official vehicles by senior administration officers.

“There are senior ranking officials who have up to four official vehicles at their disposal which has unnecessarily burdened the national exchequer,” said Parliamentary Secretary for Law Aurangzeb Khan. He was chairing the Standing Committee for Law Reforms meeting held in Gilgit. Parliamentary Secretary for Health Haider Khan and Chairman Public Accounts Committee Ghulam Hussain were also in attendance.

Discrimination

Aurangzeb also voiced concerns over the discriminatory treatment meted out to contractual employees hired in recent years. During a briefing given to him by the law and services department, he asked why the services of 40 employees were regularised while others relieved of duty once their contracts had expired. He urged the department to provide details about the hiring and regularisation of service during the next meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2015.