PESHAWAR, Oct 10: Additional district and sessions judge Abdur Rauf Khan on Monday convicted three persons of abducting a girl and selling her in Punjab, and sentenced them to life imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000 and ten stripes each.

The court pronounced that the prosecution had proved its case against the three accused Jawed alias Ijaz, his son Asghar Khan and another relative Muhammad Islam.

The court acquitted two women in the case, Ms Rukhsana wife of Jawed and Ms Bibi wife of Mohammad Islam.

The 14-year-old girl, Ms Jamila, was abducted from her residence by the accused on March 14, 2004, in Hajiabad in the jurisdiction of Chamkani police station.

The complainant in the case was Umara Khan, father of the girl, stated that on the day of occurrence he had gone to offer Friday prayers and his daughter was alone at home. He said that the five accused including the two women entered his residence and abducted his daughter.

The police had charged the accused under section 10 and 11 of the Offence of Zina (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance, 1979, read with section 337J of Pakistan Penal Code.

Few months after the occurrence, the girl escaped from Multan. She alleged that she was kidnapped and sexually abused by the accused. Later on, she was sold to some persons in Punjab. She added that when she had an opportunity she escaped from the house where she was confined.

The additional public prosecutor, Sheerin Khan Yousafzai, appeared for the state and contended that the evidence on record was enough to link the accused with the commission of the offence. He stated that the victim had testified against the accused.

MOU SIGNED: The provincial government and the Institute for Global Engagement, an American NGO, have agreed to work for the economic uplift of the people and promotion of mutual visits by leaders from various spheres of life, says PPI.