MINGORA: Elders of Swat on Sunday demanded of the government to order reinvestigation into the child abuse case, saying that some police officials wanted to save the gang from severe punishment.

The elders, who gathered in a jirga here, included civil society members, teachers, councillors, peace committee members and fathers of the victim children. They alleged that some police officials, including the investigation team, were putting pressure on fathers and other relatives of the children to keep mum about activities of the gang.

“Sub-inspector Hamid Iqbal offered me to take Rs30,000 and observe silence in the case, but I refused the offer when I went to Mingora police station and found Aurangzeb, the key person in the child abuse case, enjoying food with the investigation team,” said Tajo Rahman, father of Mehran.

Mr Rahman said that police took money from him for fuel while using vehicle during the investigation. “Once the police took Rs1,200 from me for hiring a vehicle and on another occasion Rs500 for fuel when they were going to Watkey to recover the car used for kidnapping children,” he said.

Claim police want to save those involved in the case

Speakers in the jirga claimed that over 50 children were sexually abused and were missing, but police had included only 17 children in the case.

They demanded for fair investigation to uncover complete details related to the case.

Islahi committee, Mingora, chairman Mohammad Zubair demanded of the government take strict action against the gang involved in the child abuse. He said all sorts of crimes were spreading fast in Mingora due to negligence of the police and district administration.

The jirga members demanded of the government to investigate the matter by an independent body because Mingora police was not credible. The elders later blocked the Haji Baba road and chanted slogans against the police. They demanded of the government to ensure that strict action was taken against the culprits.

They warned of a demonstration against the police and provincial government if they failed to punish the child abuse group.

Published in Dawn, May 16th, 2016