Amna Bibi of Muzaffargarh was gang raped in January and she immolated herself in March. During this period she must have made strenuous effort to get justice but all in vain. She was bold enough to get her complaint registered in the concerned police station. The accused were nominated by her, but being influential, they managed to turn the investigation in their favour and the court set them free on account of poor investigation. Incidentally court did not bother to call any independent witnesses nor any weight was given to the circumstantial evidence.
Gang rapes have become very common and special measures are required to curb this menace. In such cases investigation should be done by the district police officer himself or a Superintendent of Police, investigation of the concerned district without entrusting the same to any subordinate officer. The challan should be completed and submitted to the court within one month. Special courts should be constituted or courts earmarked to deal with such cases. Daily hearings may be given, so that rape cases can be decided as soon as possible. District and sessions judge and district police officer should review these cases on monthly basis and the government should be informed accordingly.
If in a couple of gang rape cases, exemplary punishments were awarded to the miscreants, this crime would have decreased, rather than increase, as we have seen in Pakistan!
S TAJAMMAL H RIZVI,
Lahore, March 16.
