Main accused in Sharifan Bibi case still at large

PESHAWAR: The principal accused in the case of Sharifan Bibi, who was allegedly paraded naked in the streets of her village in Dera Ismail Khan for her brother's crime, is still at large.

As per the Dera Ismail Khan Police investigation/progress report submitted in the Human Rights Cell of Peshawar High Court (PHC), efforts are on to arrest the main accused Sajawal. The PHC had disposed of the writ petition filed by the victim girl with a direction to IGP Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure submission of progress and investigation report in the case after every 15 days to the Human Rights Cell.

The police stated in the report that eight out of the nine accused had been arrested. It said the police have initiated the process for seizure of immovable property of the absconder and forwarded the case of confiscation of 138 kanals of land under section 88 of CrPC to the court of judicial magistrate.

The police claimed in the report that they had received 10 mobile phones from a suspect, Rahmatullah, who the girl claimed filmed her with his mobile phone while being paraded naked. However, the police stated that out of the 10 mobile phones, seven were checked in the FSL Peshawar but no such video clips were found. It said the remaining three phones have also been sent for forensic checking to trace the video clips.

The police also claimed that security had been provided to the victim girl and her family. Besides, it said preventative measures on large scale have been taken for protection of the victim family and 10 members of the accused party have been challaned under section 107/151 of CrPC.

A two-member bench comprising PHC Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice

Syed Afsar Shah had directed the advocate general Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure submission of the progress report to the Human Rights Cell of the PHC after every 15 days.

The IGP had stated that investigation was being monitored and supervised on a daily basis under the supervision of a senior police officer. He informed the court that three special guards including a head constable and a foot constable under the supervision of Inspector Noorzali Khan have been deployed at the petitioner's house to protect the family.

The provincial police officer stated that police were making all out efforts for the arrest of the prime accused and raids were being conducted in Karachi and Quetta as well. He added that the ugly incident with the petitioner girl was committed by the accused party to avenge the incident of alleged illicit relations between the petitioner's brother and a female relative of the accused.

In the petition, the 16-year old Sharifan Bibi requested the court to direct the provincial government and the police chief to provide security to her and her family, recover her video from the possession of one of the accused Rahmatullah and inclusion of his name in the FIR as he had filmed her when she was paraded naked.

After the court decision, senior lawyer Qazi Muhammad Anwar informed the media that they have got the relief sought in the petition as proper sections of law including Anti-Terrorism Act could be added against the accused in the FIR during investigation. He pointed out that these sections had been mentioned by the police in the FIR.

However, till date no section of the Anti-Terrorism Act was added in the FIR as the experts said it was a case of terrorism to parade the girl naked in the streets. Certain other lawyers also said it was a case of terrorism. Tey wondered why the police did not charge the accused under terrorism law.