LHC summons CCPO with progress report on motorway rape case

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has summoned Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Umer Sheikh later in the day to present a report detailing headway made in the motorway gang-rape case which outraged the entire nation.

LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan issued the directive during the hearing of a petition seeking the formation of a judicial commission to probe the incident.

During the hearing, the court ordered Sheikh to appear with the investigation report at 1:00 pm.

“The CCPO should present a report on the progress made in the case so far,” Justice Khan ordered.

The petition, filed on Saturday, claims that the heinous incident was not the first of its kind where police have shown “criminal negligence” and a “lack of professionalism”.

The petition also lambastes the Lahore CCPO for his alleged victim-blaming and accusing the victim of inviting the incident by failing to take due precautions before setting off for her journey.

According to the petitioner, Sheikh’s statement is “encouraging the culprits” and therefore calls for the formation of a judicial inquiry commission supervised by the court to probe the case and for action to be taken against him.

During the hearing, a law officer informed the court that the motorway case was currently being investigated by police.

“What kind of an inquiry is this where the departmental head is holding the victim responsible for the incident?” remarked Justice Khan, referring to the CCPO’s comments.

“The entire Punjab cabinet should have apologised for the Lahore police chief’s remarks,” he added.

“If an investigation is being carried out with such a mindset then who knows what is reality and what is made up,” Justice Qasim Khan said.

CCPO APPOLIGISES FOR REMAKRS:

Meanwhile, Sheikh apologised to the victim for his remarks taken as victim-blaming.

Speaking to reporters, the CCPO said that he had “apologised earlier as well”.

“I did not mean anything wrong or [to give a wrong] perception and if any misunderstanding was caused because of me, then I apologise from the depths of my heart to my sister who was abused and to all sections of society who were saddened or angered,” he said.