Kandhkot police on Monday arrested Sardar Taj Mohammad Domki, a senior politician and influential feudal lord belonging to upper Sindh, after he claimed that he had "settled" a case involving the gang rape of a 12-year-old girl by imposing a fine of Rs1.8 million on the "real accused".

In May, media reported that a girl — a resident of Kandhkot in Sindh — had been working as a maid in Karachi when she was allegedly intoxicated and gang-raped. Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar had taken notice of the matter and summoned a report from the Sindh inspector general of police within a week.

In a sudden turn of events, at a press conference yesterday (Sunday), Domki claimed to have "settled" the matter through a jirga.

Domki claimed that the girl was not gang-raped, as claimed by her father, Urz Mohammad Golo, in a first information report, but raped by a single person.

"The accused had raped the girl in Karachi after assuring her that he would marry her," Domki said.

The feudal lord claimed that had he not intervened in the matter, the girl would never have been able to get justice from the courts.

Domki's claims were problematic as they completely bypassed the legal infrastructure that seeks to protect rape victims and deals with such cases in accordance with Pakistan's Penal Code.

Dr Samiullah Soomro, senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kandhkot, on the directions of his seniors, ordered the registration of an FIR against Sardar Domki, Urz Mohammad Golo and 13 others on behalf of the state for settling the matter in a jirga.

"With Domki under arrest, the police is conducting raids to nab the remaining accused," SHO Mohammad Sadiq Odho told reporters.

He said that the FIR had been registered under Sections 310, 419, 117 and 143 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the complaint of ASI Mohammad Murad Lashari.

Opinion

Editorial

Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...
Provincial share
Updated 17 Mar, 2024

Provincial share

PPP has aptly advised Centre to worry about improving its tax collection rather than eying provinces’ share of tax revenues.
X-communication
17 Mar, 2024

X-communication

IT has now been a month since Pakistani authorities decided that the country must be cut off from one of the...
Stateless humanity
17 Mar, 2024

Stateless humanity

THE endless hostility between India and Pakistan has reduced prisoners to mere statistics. Although the two ...