Staff Reporter
Lahore
The Lahore High Court said on Monday that the Punjab government should apologise to the nation for the misogynistic remarks made by Capital City Police Officer Umer Sheikh about the victim of the motorway gang-rape case.
Hearing a petition calling for the formation of a judicial inquiry commission to investigate the incident, LHC Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan remarked that an impression has been created that the women of the country were not safe on the roads.
The court directed that the culprits be apprehended immediately and directed the Lahore police chief to submit a report in this regard day. The hearing was adjourned for September 16.
Earlier in the day, the court had summoned Sheikh to present a report regarding headway made in the motorway gang-rape case. Shortly before appearing in court, the Lahore police chief apologised to the motorway gang-rape victim for his earlier remarks implying that she shared responsibility for her rape. “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 while speaking to journalists.
During the hearing, the Punjab government’s lawyer presented the notification under which an inquiry committee, headed by the provincial law minister, was constituted to probe the case.
“We can’t play committee-committee,” the chief justice remarked, asking the lawyer who exactly was a part of the inquiry panel. “The provincial law minister, the additional chief secretary, home and other officials are part of the committee,” the government’s lawyer replied.
Commenting on his earlier misogynistic remarks implying that the victim shared responsibility for her rape, Sheikh apologised once again. “If my statement offended the victim, then I apologise.”
Stating that the Punjab government should apologise to the entire nation for the comments the official made, the judge remarked that Sheikh should have weighed his choice of words. “It is the government’s responsibility to provide protection to the people.
“A young girl left for the motorway thinking she was safe. You have no idea the kind of agony the victim and her children will endure for the rest of their lives,” Justice Qasim Khan remarked.
Informing the court about the status of the investigation, the CCPO said that police carried out geo-fencing and managed to match samples taken from the victim with accused Abid Ali.
He added that the second accused had surrendered to police and had recorded his statement. “We are trying to trace one more accused. All those responsible will be caught.”
Earlier during the hearing, the court was informed by the government-appointed law officer 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 Qasim 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.
Meanwhile, Lahore Capital City Police Officer Umer Sheikh on Monday apologised to the motorway gang-rape victim for his earlier remarks implying that she shared responsibility for her rape.
Last week, two ‘robbers’ allegedly gang-raped a woman at gunpoint in front of her children in Lahore’s Gujjarpura area after she was stranded on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway.
Following the incident, the CCPO invited criticism when he pontificated that the victim had failed to take due precautions before setting off for her journey.
According to the Lahore police chief’s logic, the woman could have avoided being at the wrong place at the wrong time. He said she should have taken the more populated GT Road to Gujranwala instead of going via motorway, and that she ought to have checked how much fuel her car had before setting off.
Speaking to reporters today, 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.”
