May 27, 2023
Staff Report
LAHORE
The family of a slain seven-year-old girl claim police are pressuring them to withdraw rape charges from their complaint.
Protesting against the lack of progress in the case, family, relatives as well as local residents blocked the Barakahu road on Thursday. The protest was dispersed via baton-charge by the police on Friday, while some demonstrators were also detained.
A case against unidentified persons was registered at the Barakahu police station.
According to the FIR, the victim was living with her grandfather in the Nai Abadi neighbourhood of Islamabad’s Barakahu area. On May 22, she disappeared from her home around noon. Her mutilated body was later discovered abandoned on the roadside near a mansion by passersby who alerted the police. The body was shifted to a hospital for an autopsy while a few of the victim’s belongings were found inside the mansion.
The autopsy confirmed she had been tortured before being killed, but ruled out sexual assault. No arrests have been made as of the filing of this report, although a few suspects have been interrogated, according to police.
Taking notice of the incident, Speaker of the National Assembly Raja Pervez Ashraf on May 22 expressed his sorrow and issued directives to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Islamabad to submit a report after complete investigation within seven days.
The same day, the Chairperson of the NA Standing Committee on Human Rights Mehreen Razzaq Bhutto also called on the IGP Islamabad to investigate the matter urgently and take all steps to apprehend the criminals.
Reportedly, police had collected samples from the body as well as the scene of the crime but have yet to send them for chemical analysis.
The girl’s family alleges that the police presented them with an already written complaint and asked them to sign it in order to proceed with the investigation, adding that the police are protecting the accused.