June 19, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 14, 1429

KARACHI, June 18: Two suspects of the Mazar-i-Quaid gang-rape case are still at large even after recommendations by the senate’s standing committee on housing works and environment that a DNA test of the entire workforce of the mausoleum be carried out.

An 18-year-old woman was subjected to gang-rape after being kidnapped on the premises of the Mazar-i-Quaid by unknown men on the night of March 15. She was found in a precarious condition at the gate of the mausoleum in the early hours of March 17. Subsequently, police registered a case under Section 365/B of the Pakistan Penal Code.

It has been over a month since a visit by the senate’s standing committee to the mausoleum where a meeting was held and it was decided that funds would be provided for the DNA tests so that suspects could be screened out from other employees on a scientific basis.

On May 16, the senate’s standing committee on housing works and environment recommended that DNA tests of the entire workforce of the Mazar-i-Quaid be carried out to find the two remaining suspects involved in the gang-rape of the young woman.

The senate’s standing committee headed by Senator Dr Muhammad Ali Brohi visited the mausoleum on May 16 and examined the crime scene. Later the committee was given a detailed presentation about the case by SSP (investigation-south) Niaz Ahmed Khosa in the committee room of the museum.

Senate Committee Chairman Dr Muhammad Ali Brohi, talking to Dawn, had said that he had requested the inspector-general of Sindh and the home minister to provide the required funds for the DNA tests of 322 employees of the mausoleum. He said he was sure that the required funds would be provided as there was already a provision for investigation funds.

Quoting the SSP (investigation), Dr Brohi said each test cost around Rs10,000, thus an amount of Rs3.2 million would be required to carry out the DNA investigations. The chairman of the senate standing committee stressed that the victim’s case should be taken to its logical end and the two suspects should be detected.

However, after a month things have not moved from the position of May 16, when the committee’s visit took place. Seeking anonymity, a police officer associated with the investigation said that no progress had been made as far as the provision of funds required for the DNA tests was concerned.

An assistant manager of the security force was arrested on March 20 following the identification by the young woman. And subsequently two more suspects in the gang-rape case were arrested by the police following the receipt of the DNA report which confirmed their involvement in the crime.

The senate’s standing committee had also recommended to the federal government to pay a compensation of Rs500,000 to the victim of gang-rape as a gesture of sympathy. Furthermore, the husband of the victim should be provided with a job at the Mazar-i-Quaid. The committee also requested Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah to help the couple get a residence in the city.

But sources told Dawn that all recommendations made by the senate committee have failed to materialize.

The senate standing committee comprises Dr Muhammad Ali Brohi as its chairman, Hafiz Abdul Malik Qadri, Shuja-ul-Mulk, Bibi Yasmeen Shah, Dr Abdul Khaliq Pirzada, Sardar Muhammad Jamal Khan Leghari, Sardar Mehmud Khan, Maulana Rahat Hussain, Mir Mohabat Khan Marri, Farooq Hamid Naek, minister for law and justice, Syed Muhammad Hussain, Muhammad Saleh Shah as members and Hameedullah Jan Afridi, minister for environment, as the ex-officio member.

Despite repeated attempts, the chairman of the standing committee, Dr Muhammad Ali Brohi, could not be contacted for his comments on the current position of the case.