- Punjab CM suspends Kasur DPO, Kasur City DSP and Kasur DSP Special Branch for negligence, forms five-member JIT to investigate Kasur case
- Terrorism charges included in cases and five accused presented in ATC while LHC summons Punjab senior officials in plea for trial in ATC
While punishing senior police officers for negligence in the case, Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Shehbaz Sharif has formed a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to probe the massive child abuse and extortion scandal allegedly involving hundreds of victims in Kasur.
On the Punjab CM’s instructions, Kasur District Police Officer (DPO) Rai Babar Saeed, Kasur City Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Hassan Farooq and Kasur DSP Special Branch Asghar Dogar have been transferred as officers on special duty (OSD) on showing negligence in duties.
Investigations into the massive child abuse scandal, termed the biggest in the country’s history, reveal that around 400 videos were made of 280 minor victims by an organised gang of over 25 criminals in Hussain Khanwala village of Kasur.
JIT REPORTS IN TWO WEEKS:
Amid mounting calls for justice from protesting families, media and civil society, the Punjab government has now formed a five-member JIT headed by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abubakr Khuda Baksh to investigate the case and present its report to the Lahore High Court (LHC) within two weeks.
The investigation team will also include Superintendent of Police (SP) Khalid Bashir Cheema and DSP Liaqauat Ali as well as two officers of intelligence agencies.
TERRORISM CHARGES:
Meanwhile, anti-terrorism charges have been included in the lodged cases under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA). The case will now be heard in an anti-terrorism court (ATC).
The decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by the Punjab Police inspector general (IG) and also attended by the deputy inspector general (DIG) Operations and Sheikhupura regional police officer (RPO).
Earlier on Tuesday, the Lahore High Court (LHC) summoned Punjab home secretary, Punjab Police IG, Punjab advocate general, Punjab prosecutor general and others for August 12 (today) on a petition seeking directions for trial of criminals involved in Kasur child abuse incident in an ATC.
LHC Chief Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik passed the directions on a petition filed by Sana Murad and others.
During the hearing, petitioner’s counsel Aftab Ahmad Bajwa submitted that the incident was tantamount to terrorism wherein 274 boys and girls suffered at the hands of culprits. He said the police had registered cases against the accused under sections 506, 293, 387, 386 and 377 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) but did not include Section 7 of the ATA.
Bajwa said that the act of criminals fall under definition of extortion and as per law, an ATC was authorised to hold the trial. He pleaded the court to issue directions for referring the matter to an ATC.
At this, the chief justice summoned the said respondents for today while adjourning the matter.
FIVE ACCUSED PRESENTED IN ATC:
In the meanwhile, five accused, Obaidur Rehman, Atiq, Waseem, Yahya and Tanzeelur Rehman, in the Kasur child abuse scandal were presented in an ATC.
On Monday, the interim bail extension of the five as denied. Seven others accused in the case are on judicial remand. Police also claimed that the total number of suspects arrested in the case has risen to 14.
