LAHORE: Prosecutor General (PG) of Punjab Syed Farhad Ali Shah has asked the Lahore High Court for action against a judicial magistrate for pressuring a victim of gang rape in Sargodha.

The PG had declared the case high profile and summoned the station house officer, the investigating officer (IO), the prosecutor concerned, and the victim to review the progress in the investigation, said a statement.

The IO informed the PG about the case’s developments, revealing that the area judicial magistrate pressurised the victim, a 14-year-old girl, to reconcile with the suspect police official before her statement under Section 164 CrPC could be recorded.

He said the magistrate allegedly offered to arrange the victim’s marriage with the 58-year-old suspect, who reportedly threatened and intimidated the victim in the magistrate’s presence.

The IO said the victim had already given a statement under Section 161 CrPC about the incident to the police.

When asked by the PG, the victim endorsed the statements of the IO and prosecutor.

Consequently, PG Shah wrote a letter to Chief Justice Aalia Neelum recommending departmental action against the magistrate for pressurising the victim into reconciliation and offering marriage with the suspect.

Mr Shah noted that women, especially young girls, often refrain from reporting such heinous crimes due to social pressure and the fear of stigma.

He said the implementation of section 8 of the Anti-Rape Act 2021 and the Witness Protection Act 2018 is crucial to safeguarding the honour and dignity of those women and girls who come forward to report these crimes.

He emphasised that, in line with the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, protecting the lives, property, and rights of women and girls was the prosecution department’s top priority and legal responsibility.

He assured the victim that the state will utilise all its resources to ensure justice is served and the perpetrators are punished.

The case was registered against a police ASI and his accomplice under sections 375A, 376 (3) (4) of the Pakistan Penal Code at Kot Momin Police Station, Sargodha.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2024