Mufti Aziz's forensic report matches seminary student

LAHORE: Mufti Aziz-ur-Rehman's forensic report has matched the individual seen in a video showing molestation of a seminary student. A copy of the report available with The News read: “No editing features were found in the visual contents of the videos. After forensic facial analysis, it was concluded that the facial features of the victim named Sabir Shah and the accused named Aziz-ur-Rehman matched the facial features of the persons of interest seen in the videos” Lahore Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Investigations Shariq Jamal on Monday while talking to media said Aziz's physical features matched in forensic analysis of the video. “No evidence of editing was found in the video clip according to the forensic analysis report,” he added. However, the DNA test of the accused was tested negative. The crime incident was two three years old and the DNA analysis is time-barred. Aziz had pleaded innocence in his response in a video after the video in which he could be seen molesting his student had gone viral. He said on oath: “It is a fake video because I am not moving in it.” He had accused the victim, his student, of intoxicating him by tea to make him unconscious before making the video. He had termed the whole episode an attempt to defame him. “The move is politically motivated as few people wanted to expel me from the seminary,” he had said and added: “What else can be a motive of releasing an old video at that time.”

Aziz after arrest from Mianwali had confessed to his crime. However, later on, he retracted his statement in court. Sabir Shah, in the FIR, had alleged that Aziz had banned him from examination for three years on allegations of appearing for another student in the exam. When he begged mercy, he asked for sexual favours on promise of not only getting him passed but also lifting the ban on him. However, Aziz did not fulfil his promises, he said. When he lodged complaints before various authorities, no one believed him stating, that Mufti Aziz was an old man. “I made the videos as an evidence to make himself heard,” he asserted. A case was registered against Mufti and his sons. He went into hiding and later was arrested from Mianwali during a CIA police raid.