SHC takes notice of teenager’s rape in Tando Mohammad Khan

Taking notice of the sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl by an influential person in Tando Mohammad Khan’s Ghulam Hussain Soomro village, the Chief Justice of Sindh High Court Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh has sought progress reports from the sessions judge, local SSP and the Sindh police chief.

According to press reports, the minor girl was subjected to sexual assault in the agricultural land of Ghulam Hussain Soomro village by an influential person who also made a video of the assault and then threatened the victim of dire consequences if she reported the rape.

Justice Sheikh on Monday directed the concerned SSP and case investigation officer to appear in court on April 11 and submit progress report and details on the action taken against the culprit.

Shahzeb murder case

An SHC special bench constituted to hear Shahzeb Khan’s murder case against Shahrukh Jatoi and other co-accused heard partial arguments of the appellant’s counsel and adjourned the hearing till April 16.

The special bench headed by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar was formed by the SHC chief justice, following the Supreme Court’s judgment that set aside the high court’s previous verdict in which the SHC had struck down the conviction awarded by an anti-terrorism court in June 2013 and remanded back the case to the relevant sessions court for de novo trial in February.

In Monday’s hearing, the appellant counsel read out statements of prosecution witnesses and submitted that there was contradiction in their testimonies which was admitted in the trial court proceedings.

The court after hearing the partial arguments of the counsel adjourned the hearing till April 16 for further arguments. The brutal killing of the Shahzeb allegedly by persons belonging to influential families sparked public outrage and protest demonstrations by the several groups of civil society and ultimately the Supreme Court had also taken suo motu notice of the incident and ordered police to arrest the culprits and prosecute them without any delay.