KARACHI: A district and sessions court has sentenced a man to life in prison for raping a nine-year-old girl within the remit of the Kalri police station.

Additional District and Session Judge Ashraf Hussain Khowaja convicted Syed Rizwan Ali for assaulting the minor girl, who was his ‘close relative’.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs100,000. In case of default on payment the convict would undergo an additional three-month imprisonment.

“There was no eyewitness of the incident except the victim baby herself. The sole testimony of the victim baby… is trustworthy and confidence-inspiring which could not be shaken during the course of cross-examination as well as corroborated with evidence of her father and mother and supported by medical evidence which speaks volumes,” the court noted.

According to state prosecutor Irfana Qadri, the rape survivor informed the court that on May 2, 2022, she was talking to her friend through a window, who used to live in the same building. However, when her friend went away, the man approached her (victim) and put his hands over her mouth. Subsequently, he forcefully took her to the roof of the building where he overpowered her and committed rape. Later, he left the minor outside her home and threatened to kill her if she told anyone.

Later, the girl’s mother noticed that the child (victim) was unwell, but she informed her mother that she had fallen on the ground. Initially her mother took her to a clinic, but as her condition did not improve, the girl was then taken to the Civil Hospital, where it was discovered that she had been sexually assaulted.

Later, her father had lodged a complaint against Rizwan under Section 376 (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code at the Kalri police station.

The accused in his statement before the court denied the allegation levelled against him and claimed to be innocent.

However, the court noted that the accused produced no evidence in his defence.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2024