Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said on Friday the provincial government would write to the Centre to bestow the highest police award to assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Mohammad Bux Buriro for the role he played in arresting a man accused of raping a woman and her minor daughter in Kashmore.

"Without the bravery and courage of the ASI, it would not have been possible to arrest this animal," Wahab said while addressing a press conference in Karachi.

"That is why the Sindh government will write a letter to the Centre recommending that Buriro be given the highest police award — the Quaid-i-Azam Police Medal," he said, adding that the police official would also be given a gallantry award by the provincial government.

The spokesperson's comments come a day after a man was arrested for allegedly subjecting a woman and her minor daughter to rape for two days after duping the former with a job offer in northern Sindh's Kashmore district.

Kashmore police had set up a trap by using a decoy, the daughter of the ASI, who was posted at the same police station.

The victim along with the ASI’s daughter contacted the main suspect over phone and invited him to a hotel where police arrested him. They recovered the woman's minor child from a private premises on the information provided by the suspect.

During today's press conference, Wahab also recognised the bravery and courage of the ASI's daughter. "In recognition of her bravery, the Sindh government will speak to the Centre about giving her the highest civil award.

"Further, if she wishes to pursue higher education, the expenses for her studies will be borne by the Sindh government," he said, adding that she will also be given a cash award of Rs1 million.

Commenting on the details of the case, Wahab said the accused had confessed to the crime and his statement had been recorded in front of a magistrate. "DNA samples have been collected and sent to the laboratory. We will receive the reports within the next 24 to 48 hours."

He maintained that the minor victim and her mother have been shifted to Civil Hospital, Larkana, for medical treatment under the directives issued by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.

"If the minor victim is in need of further treatment, the Sindh government will have her shifted to a hospital in Karachi.

"All the expenses for their treatment and rehabilitation will be borne by the Sindh government," Wahab said, adding that the provincial government will also pay for the child's education for as long as she wished to study.

Outrage over incident

According to police, a woman had lodged a complaint at the Kashmore police station on November 10 against the suspect and his associates, claiming they assaulted her. She said she was made to come to Kashmore from Karachi after being promised a job.

According to the woman, she arrived in the city on October 25 along with her four/five-year-old daughter and met the main suspect, who took her to his village where his friend and an unknown person were already present. She claimed that the suspects subjected her to rape over the next two days.

“Later, they kept my daughter in their custody and asked me to go back to Karachi and bring some other woman. They gave me some money as travel expenses and said they will return my daughter to me only when I will do as directed,” she said.

The incident sparked outrage on social media and was condemned by rights activists and politicians. It remained one of the top trends on Twitter in Pakistan and was being posted about with the hashtag 'Kashmore tragedy'.

Comments on Facebook eulogised ASI Buriro for involving his daughter in order to trap the suspect in the case. The police official's photo was also shared on social media to acknowledge his effort.

Kashmore SSP Amjad Ali Shaikh said on Thursday that the police incorporated Section 6/7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997 and Section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) in the FIR originally registered under Sections 376, 344, 420 and 34 of the PPC and the main suspect was accused of subjecting both, the woman and her minor daughter, to rape.