KARACHI, March 25: Two suspects arrested in connection with the gang-rape of a young woman on the premises of the Mazar-i-Quaid were released when the victim did not identify them in a parade conducted in the court of a judicial magistrate on Tuesday.
Police produced the suspects before the civil judge and judicial magistrate, East, Javed Hussain, who ordered their release on personal bonds of Rs100,000 million each following the identification parade.
The police had arrested on March 24 two employees of the mausoleum for their alleged involvement in the case.
An 18-year-old woman was gang-raped by five men after being kidnapped on the premises of the Mazar on the night of March 15. She was found in an unstable condition outside the mausoleum on March 17.
On March 22, the court had remanded an assistant manager (security) of the mazar in police custody till March 25 for his alleged involvement in the rape. The victim had identified him during the identification parade conducted by the judicial magistrate.
The police said they would produce the arrested security officer in court on Wednesday to obtain further remand. A statement of the victim under Section 164 CrPC would also be recorded.
The case (FIR 50/08) was registered at the Brigade police station on the complaint of the victim’s father under Section 365/B of the Pakistan Penal Code. The section was inserted in the PPC through the Protection of Women Act 2006.
Case against Afaq
The additional district and sessions judge, East, Ijaz Ahmed Khaskheli, on Tuesday reissued notices to four prosecution witnesses in a kidnapping-cum-murder case registered against the chief of the Muhajir Qaumi Movement, Afaq Ahmed, and others.
Earlier, the court had also issued notices to Ataullah, Mohammad Tahir, Salman and Mohammed Anwar, directing them to record their statements in the case, but they did not turn up to testify.
According to the prosecution, Afaq Ahmed and his associates were charged with kidnapping Mohammed Farooq, Mohammad Tahir, Salman and M. Anwar in the Gulshan-i-Iqbal police limits on June 19, 1992, and later allegedly killing Mohammad Farooq.
Police registered a case (FIR 102/92) under Sections 147, 148, 149, 324, 364, 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of Ismail Quershi.
The judge, conducting the hearing in the judicial complex, fixed April 19 as the next date of hearing.
Source: Dawn
Date:3/26/2008
