No breakthrough in minor girl’s killing probe

MARDAN: The issue of the murder of a four-year-old girl has become a mystery as the culprits have not been traced so far.

Asma, resident of Gujjar Garhi village in Mardan district, went missing Saturday evening and her body was found at a sugarcane field Sunday evening.

The people and leaders of various political parties continue to visit the residence of the slain girl to express solidarity with the family.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader and prime minister’s adviser Amir Muqam, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) provincial information secretary Senator Rubina Khalid and Pakistan People’s Party women wing president Nighat Orakzai also visited the house of the deceased and offered fateha.

Talking to reporters, they condemned Asma’s brutal murder and said the incident exposed the performance of the so-called police reforms under the PTI-led provincial government.

“The PTI leaders should arrest the killers of Asma instead of blaming Nawaz Sharif for everything,” said Amir Muqam. He added that the assaults on children had become a serious issue in the country and a proper strategy should be made to deal with it.

Meanwhile, Awami National Party (ANP) staged protest in Mardan against the police officials and doctors for not giving them the result of the forensic test done on Asma’s body. The protest rally was led by District Nazim Himayatullah Mayar, who belongs to the ANP.

Later, the protestors held protest meeting at the Pakistan Chowk. The protesters, chanting slogans against the provincial government, demanded justice for the victim and immediate arrest of the killer(s).

District Police Officer (DPO) Mian Saeed Ahmed had told a news conference here that four teams had been formed to investigate the case.

He said a joint investigation team (JIT) was also formed under his supervision to probe the murder. He added that the incident occurred in a far-off area where CCTV cameras and other electronic facilities were not available. “This is the reason it is difficult for the police to properly investigate this case of blind murder,” he argued.

The police were depending on human information only, he said, adding that the deceased was strangulated while signs of torture were also found on her body.

He said the local police had taken the case as a challenge and Rs0.5 million would be given to the informer as reward if information about the assailants was provided.

District Nazim Himayatullah Mayar had told reporters that the post-mortem report suggested the victim had been raped. He said there were marks on her neck.

Himayatullah Mayar alleged that the police were trying to hide the matter of sexual assault on the victim. “The cops are trying to save the image of provincial government by distorting facts,” he maintained He also criticised Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and his ministers for not visiting the house of the victim.

However, PTI MPA Iftikhar Ali Mashwani rejected the report that the minor girl was raped before the murder.