SIALKOT, April 14: Despite the passage of some two weeks, police have failed to arrest a nominated accused involved in injuring a minor girl who is fighting for her life at the Daska THQ Hospital. Labourer Zulfiqar Sindhu, the father of injured girl Atifa (5), alleged that Daska union council Nazim Malik Ashraf Theem had tightened the screws on the police not to lay hand on the accused.

The labourer informed reporters that Umair, the son of his neighbour Arshad Mughal, had quarrelled with his son Quddus over a minor dispute on March 29. Later, Umair along with his brother Hasnain went to the rooftop of his house and hurled stones on his family. As a result, Atifa suffered head injuries. She was shifted to the General Hospital in critical condition.

The labourer said that he had to borrow Rs60,000 for the treatment of her daughter. When all his resources exhausted, he said, he had to shift her daughter to the Daska THQ Hospital where she was in serious condition.

The labourer said that the accused, still at large, were threatening his family members of dire consequences for lodging an FIR against them.

Labourer Sindhu alleged that he had repeatedly asked Daska SHO Zulfiqar Chattha to arrest the nominated accused, but the police were reluctant to take action against the influential accused.

The grieved family has urged Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi, the Punjab IGP, Gujranwala range DIG Muhammad Altaf Qamar and other police high-ups to direct the Daska SHO to ensure immediate arrest of the accused. — Correspondent