Four Arrested in Acid Attack on Lawyer in Lodhran
Four individuals have been apprehended by Lodhran city police for an acid attack on a female lawyer, Advocate Nausheen Sabahat, outside her residence in Agha Khan Colony, Lodhran. Sabahat sustained severe acid burns and was hospitalized at Lodhran District Headquarters Hospital.
Lodhran District Police Officer (DPO) Hissam Bin Iqbal stated that the police promptly arrested Qazi Naeem, Shabeer Qazi, Tanveer, and Ansar following the registration of FIR No 1970/23, which charged them under sections 336-B and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Allegedly, the suspects targeted the lawyer due to her involvement in property-related cases against them.
Special Police Units Assigned for Exclusive Rape Case Investigations
The Sindh High Court has been informed that specialized police units, established under the Anti-Rape (Trial and Investigation) Act, 2021, are now exclusively handling rape cases throughout the province. This comes after the court noted a delay in a rape case investigation and requested a report on the law’s implementation. In response, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) reported that investigators handling gender-based violence cases had been integrated into these specialized units in each district, resulting in a total of 1,831 cases being registered since the law’s enactment, with charge sheets filed in 1,032 cases.
During a recent hearing, the applicant’s lawyer agreed to withdraw the plea if the court directed the trial court to expedite the case. The bench promptly issued the directive for the trial to proceed day-to-day. The case involves a victim who alleged rape by her adopted brother at their home on April 11, within the jurisdiction of the Arambagh police station.
Lahore High Court Rules Ahmadi Structures Pre-1984 Ordinance Exempt from Demolition
The Lahore High Court has ruled that Ahmadi structures built before the 1984 ordinance amending the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) need not be demolished or altered. Sections 298 B & C, which criminalize certain Ahmadi activities, do not mandate such actions, according to the court’s decision.
In the case involving two members of the Ahmadi community, who were facing an FIR under these PPC sections, the court emphasized that the complaint primarily revolved around a minaret as an architectural feature. The judge pointed out that minarets have varied historical origins, and their use has evolved over time. The judge also questioned the delay in filing the FIR, which occurred 38 years after the 1984 ordinance was enacted, without a clear explanation from the complainant. Consequently, the petitioners were granted pre-arrest bail.