DI Khan case: PHC disposes of writ petition of Sharifan Bibi

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday disposed of a writ petition of Sharifan Bibi with the direction to the investigation team to submit progress report in the case to the court after every 14 days.
A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Syed Afsar Shah issued also asked the advocate general Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to ensure submission of the progress report before the Human Rights Cell of the PHC after every 14 days.
The court was hearing a writ petition of Sharifan Bibi, who was allegedly paraded naked in the streets of her village in Dera Ismail Khan on October 27.
The bench disposed of the writ petition in the light of reply submitted by provincial inspector general of police (IGP) which claimed that the police department had provided strict security to the victim girl and her family since November 3.
In the reply, the IGP said that necessary directions have been issued to the investigators to conduct investigation with regard to accusations against Rahmatullah and recovery of the video from him which the petitioner alleged was made when she was being paraded naked. The petitioner said the culprits were pressuring her family to withdraw the fist information report (FIR) or else the video would be made public.
The IGP 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 absconding prime accused Sajawal and raids were being conducted in Karachi and Quetta for his arrest.
“The delinquent police officers or any civil servant found involved in the case will be proceeded against in due course,” the IGP said in his written reply to the high court.
The police chief stated 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 persons.
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 in possession of one of accused Rahmatullah and inclusion of his name in the FIR as he had filmed her when she was paraded naked. The petitioner also sought the court’s orders for the inspector general of police and DIG of DI Khan range police to submit weekly report of the progress in the investigation to ensure dispensation of justice to her.
During the course of hearing when the petitioner’s lawyer Qazi Muhammad Anwar started mentioning facts of the case, the court asked Advocate General Abdul Latif Yousafzai to take written response of the IGP on the request by the victim girl in the writ petition.
Qazi Muhammad Anwar appeared for Sharifan Bibi and the Advocate General KP represented the provincial government and police officials in the case.
The chairperson of the non-governmental organization, In Search of Justice, Salma Malik, and director Khalid Ahmad, who provided legal aid to the victim family, appeared on behalf of the petitioner in the case.
After the court decision, 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.