MULTAN, July 26: The Anti-Terrorism Court, Dera Ghazi Khan, began hearing the Meerwala gang-rape case in camera on Friday.

The court, spared the ASI Muhammad Iqbal, observing that his offence did not fall in the ambit of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997. The police were directed to submit his challan at an ordinary court for trial under sections 119 and 217 PPC.

The ASI was initially charged with negligence and abetment in the Meerwala gang-rape.

The investigation said that had the ASI performed his duty, the incident could have been averted.

All the 14 accused were present in court. The chief public prosecutor of ATCs in Punjab, Asghar Gill, led the prosecution team.

As judge, Malik Zulfiqar Ali, initiated the proceedings. Mr Gill filed an application to amend the charges against the accused by incorporating Section 7(E) of the ATA-97 in the list of charges against the accused for kidnapping the victim.

However, the defence counsels, Malik Muhammad Saleem and Muhammad Yaqoob Khan, contested the prosecution plea on the ground that it was a settled law that charges during trial could be incorporated where the evidences led to.

After hearing discussion from both sides, the judge rejected the prosecution plea and framed charges against the accused.

Abdul Khaliq, Allah Ditta, Ghulam Farid and Fayyaz Husain were charged with rape of Mukhtaran Mai under sections 11 and 10(4)(a) of Hudood Ordinance, 1979, 354-A and 149 PPC.

Faiz Bakhsh Mastoi (chief juror), Ramzan Pachaar (arbitrator), and eight others were charged under section 109 and 149 PPC. All the accused pleaded not guilty.

Though, all the 14 prosecution witnesses, including Muzaffargarh district Nazim Malik Sultan Hinjra, were present at court premises, the statements of only Dr Fazal Husain, senior medical officer of the Jatoi Rural Health centre, and Dr Shahida Safdar, medical officer of the RHC, could be recorded and cross-examined.

Dr Fazal Husain (PW1) testified that all the four alleged rapists were sexually capable of the act. To a defence counsel’s quarry, he said the police did not apply for serological analysis.

Dr Shahida Safdar (PW2) confirmed that during examination of the victim on June 30, she found signs of her having been raped by more than one person. She informed the court that the chemical examiner’s report also endorsed her findings.

At this stage the hearing was adjourned until July 27 (Saturday). However, the prosecution witnesses were directed to appear before the court on July 29 (Monday) due to the the lawyers’ strike on July 27.