LAHORE: In a major breakthrough the Lahore Capital City Police have apprehended the two accused in child torture case who had taken the child to a shop to defraud the shopkeeper.
A spokesperson for Lahore Police said the child, Ahmed, 9, was allegedly tortured by the police at Sher Shah police post, Chung police station, on Feb 18. The parents of the child accused ASI Saeed of torturing their son at the behest of mobile phone sellers who alleged that the boy was involved in a cell phone theft incident.
After the registration of an FIR, all three accused shopkeepers Faisal Ashraf and Asad Lateef and ASI Saeed Ahmed were immediately arrested. However, on the directions of Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) B A Nasir, Sadr Investigation SP Rashid Hadayat launched initial investigations which disclosed that two persons, Muhammad Zain and Mehboob alias Billa, had picked the boy and took him to a mobile shop at a Bhubatian market. Muhammad Zain selected two costly cell phones and asked the shopkeepers that Ahmed would remain at the shop as “guaranty” while he was going outside to show the mobiles to his wife. But both fled. It was disclosed by examining police record that Zain and Billa were absconders and many cases were registered against Zain in different police stations in Lahore. The police spokesperson said the investigation police had recovered a heater and a heating rod from Sher Shah Chowki and sent them to laboratory for forensic analysis. It is too early to conclude that these things were used in torturing the boy. Medical report of the child would help conclude what method of torture was used for torture.
Meanwhile, police went to Jinnah Hospital to record statement of the victim child but the doctors didn’t allow the police to record his statement. The doctors said the child needed some time to get stable.
Police continue their investigations. IMEI numbers of the two mobiles taken away from the shop were tracked and both culprits were arrested. The police also got help from CCTV cameras of Punjab Safe Cities Authority. Zain was living on rent at Mughalpura and in the past he used many minors for committing criminal activities.
Crackdown: Punjab Food Authority on Friday held an operation against adulterated milk by placing screening pickets.
The food authority's teams inspected milk in 36 districts of Punjab. The purpose of the drive was to control the wicked practice of milk adulteration, officials said adding that during the operation, PFA teams disposed of 28,875 litre adulterated milk being carried from farmhouses and factories to supply in the markets and houses. Director General Cap (R) Muhammad Usman monitored the PFA teams’ activities in the provincial metropolis. The DG said food authority disposed of 24,140 litre substandard milk being carried in North Zone and 530 litre in South Zone. Moreover, the teams have recovered 1,510 litre of contaminated milk in Lahore. The DG said harmful powder, chemicals and polluted water were found in the milk during screening of the samples and immediate action was taken. He said adulterated ingredients were used to increase the thickness and quantity of milk. He said food authority was doing work to apply the pasteurisation law in order to ensure the availability of safe milk in markets.
Usman said the operation was held on the special directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan which were given during cabinet meeting yesterday. He said the Prime Minister has constituted a committee to ban on the sale of loose milk and ensure the practical implications on pasteurisation law. He said PFA was doing crackdown against milk adulteration mafia at every level for controlling the wicked practice of milk adulteration. PFA would take all necessary and concrete steps to ensure the provision of food, especially milk.
Meanwhile, PFA has decided to hold a conference in order to prepare a comprehensive strategy regarding the provision of safe milk and the introduction of economical packaging. The authority will invite all stakeholders of the food industry in the conference including investors, farmers and people from different walks of life. This decision was taken on Friday during a meeting chaired by PFA DG Muhammad Usman. Usman said a roadmap would be prepared for the provision of best and low-cost packaging for small farmers at rural levels. He said policy (pasteurisation law) would be cleared in the conference to make it beneficial and friendly for the farmers.