Motorway gang-rape: SC moved to set up judicial inquiry commission

ISLAMBAD: The Supreme Court was moved to set up an inquiry commission, headed by a SC judge, to probe gang rape of a married woman on Lahore-Sialkot Motorway, and to declare the CCPO Lahore unfit to hold post after his 'shameful statement' about the tragic incident.

Advocates, Mehraj Tareen and Shaista Tabussam Sultanpuri on Saturday filed a petition in the Supreme Court under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, and made federation through secretary Interior, Inspector General of Police, Punjab, Inspector General Motorway Police, and the Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Muhammad Umar Sheikh, Lahore as respondents.

The female lawyers said that the respondents might be directed to probe the incident effectively and bring the culprit to justice.

They may also be directed to give complete plan for the protection of citizens on motorways and highways across the country on 24-hour basis.

The victim family and other women at risk may be provided security and protection as per mandate of the Constitution and law.

The petitioners stated that Pakistan was among the 10 worst countries in terms of rape cases, as around 14,850 kidnappings involving women, children and girls had been reported in the Punjab during the last one year. Whereas around 10,000 rape cases were reported in the Punjab during Jan 2014 to June 2017.

A woman was gang raped in front of her children on Lahore-Sialkot Motorway on the night of 9th Sep.

It shocked the entire nation and triggered countrywide outrage.

The appalling incident has set off a debate on mainstream and social media on behavioral tendencies, and the alarming rise in the cases of sexual violence in the country as well as the inability of the law enforcement mechanism to provide security to the citizens.

They said that the CCPO, Lahore, who had been tasked to probe the rape of a woman on the motorway, had started his investigation by questioning the choices of the woman.

He told a private TV channel that the lady should have taken a different route - a less deserted one - and checked her petrol tank before embarking on her journey.

He further said the affected family departed Defence Area of Lahore after midnight, and took Motorway route instead of GT Road, that too without adequate fuel.

The woman called her brother instead of the police and her brother telephoned the motorway police at 1:30am to send a police mobile.

The CCPO's statement drew sharp criticism from various circles across the board, and demand for the CCPO Lahore's resignation has become top trend on Twitter.

The CCPO's remarks are a moment of "utter shame, disgrace and horror" that someone who holds such views is responsible for the safety, security and dignity of our lives and property and was giving such statements on media.

They said that the law enforcement agencies failed to work together to apprehend those responsible and serve justice to the affected family.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020