ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued summons for Inspector General Punjab Police to appear before it in the suo motu case relating to the gang-rape order issued by a panchayat in Muzaffargarh district, DawnNews reported.

During the hearing, the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Kot Addu Ashiq Hussain appeared in court.

Meanwhile, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed questioned Additional Advocate General Punjab Abdul Razzaq Mirza as to why IG Punjab did not appear before the court when a notice had been issued to him.

Furthermore, the court ordered the IG to appear before it at the next hearing and in person present a report on the case.

Subsequently, the court adjourned the hearing for a period of 10 days.

On Jan 24, the panchayat had ordered the gang-rape of a 40-year-old woman after her brother was allegedly caught with a woman of the village.

Seven suspects were earlier arrested by the police out of the nine accused in the case.

The incident had brought back memories of the Mukhtar Mai gang-rape order passed and carried out in the same Muzaffargarh district in the year 2002.