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| November 23, 2005 | Wednesday | Shawwal 20, 1426 |
SC orders NWFP police to recover girl in 15 days
ISLAMABAD, Nov 22: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the NWFP police to recover a girl within a fortnight kidnapped for the second time by the same captors and directed the Inspector General of Police to appear personally for explanation in case of failure.
“Police is efficient in retrieving facts within minutes through coercive measures but when it comes to dealing with cases sensibly, it exposes itself,” observed Justice Sardar Raza Khan, while hearing a suo motu case of abduction of the girl, Ms Shabnam, and forcing her to prostitution.
The IGP was also directed to depute DIG Mardan to supervise the investigations to ensure fair and transparent probe into the incident highlighted in a section of the press four months back.
The IGP was also directed to submit weekly report on the case to the court.
The DIG was also directed to file the weekly report independently showing progress in the case.
If the NWFP police failed to recover the girl in 15 days, the IGP will have to appear in person before the court to explain the reasons for failure, the order said and fixed the next hearing for December 8.
The bench deplored indifference and irresponsibility on the part of the investigating officer and his superiors in the case. “Are you ready to get suspended or be removed from the service,” Justice Rana Bhagwandas, heading the bench, observed.
Additional Advocate General NWFP Mohammad Saeed Jhangla told the court that Nasreen Akhtar, who allegedly sold girls for prostitution and was accused of kidnapping Shabnam for the second time, was already in judicial custody along with her husband, Sirajuddin.
The magistrate concerned, he argued, had rejected police request for the grant of judicial custody of Nasreen Akhtar on October 25 for the reason that possession of a woman could not be given to police.
At this, the bench expressed dismay at the police attitude for not contesting the case by filing a revision or investigating the accused in jail despite having legal authority.
“The police have treated the matter very lightly despite the fact that the Supreme Court had taken up the case,” Justice Rana Bhagwandas said.
Azza Khel Police (Naushera) had registered an FIR (401/2001) under Zina Ordinance for abducting and raping Ms Shabnam. But Naushera sessions judge bypassing the magistrate concerned acquitted the accused namely Nasreen Akhtar, Baseerat, Tanvirul Hasan, Talha Mohammad and Husun Ara despite the fact that Ms Shabnam had not been recovered then.
In June 24, 2005, Ms Shabnam managed to escape and lodged a report accusing Nasreen Akhtar of kidnapping and subjecting her to prostitution during four years of captivity.
She also filed a petition with the Peshawar High Court in this regard.
The NWFP government also filed a petition with the Federal Shariat Court against the acquittal of the accused by the sessions court.
When the Supreme Court took a suo motu action on September 19, 2005, she was again abducted allegedly by the same kidnappers but the police were not able to find her.
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