LHC seeks JIT report on Kasur child abuse scandal

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court Chief Justice on Wednesday ordered head of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) investigating into Kasur child abuse scandal to furnish comprehensive report of the incident.
Chief Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik was hearing a petition demanding trial of the case by anti-terrorism court instead of a court of ordinary jurisdiction.
Punjab Home Secretary Azam Salman Khan, Inspector General of Police Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera, JIT head DIG Abu Bakar Khuda Bakhsh and other officials appeared before the court.
The IGP told the court that seven cases had been registered so far on complaints received by the police. He said he himself visited Kasur and motivated the people to lodge complaints, if any, about the alleged incidents of child abuse. He said police had arrested 12 suspects and more arrests were underway.
DIG revealed that 30 video clips of the child abuse incidents had been recovered from the suspects. He said investigation was in progress in light of the recovered video evidence.
An additional advocate general told the court that provisions of Anti-Terrorism Act had been added to the FIRs of the case and the arrested suspects were on physical remand.
At this, the chief justice said to petitioner’s counsel that the government had already inserted the ATA provisions in the case as requested in the petition.
Advocate Aftab Bajwa, the counsel, putting another request said the head of the JIT should be an officer of ISI along with officials of other secret agencies as its members.
Opposing the request, the law officer stated that the law did not allow making an officer of secret agency head of joint investigation team. The JIT could be led by a police officer only, he added.
Chief Justice observed that the courts did not follow anyone’s desires but the law and the Constitution. The chief justice adjourned hearing for August 20 and directed the JIT head to submit a comprehensive report on the investigation of the case.