SAHIWAL, Oct 23: Following the orders of the district and sessions judge, the police on Saturday arrested the man who was accused by his daughter of raping her and her sister for several years.

The court ordered arrest of accused Sultan Ahmad and recovery of his 19-year-old daughter 'N', taking notice of a news item appearing in on Oct 21 in which the girl, a resident of 89/6-R village, had levelled the charges against her father.

Two of the girl's four brothers had admitted they were aware of their father's incestuous crime, but refused to support their sister in her pursuit of justice through a court of law, apparently because of poverty and stigma.

D&SJ Abdul Sattar, on the evening of Oct 21, ordered Farid Town SHO Saeed Lodhi to recover the victim and produce her in the court on Oct 22 under sections 22/A, 23/3 and 491 of the CrPC.

The victim and her elder brother, appearing in the court on Oct 22, confirmed the authenticity of the news report, following which the judge ordered the SHO to arrest the accused at the earliest and launch an FIR against him under the relevant sections.

The court also directed the SHO to protect the girl against any harm and send her wherever she felt safe.

The police, accordingly, arrested Sultan from his house in the village and launched an FIR (594/10) under Section 376 of the PPC against him.

According to the girl's desire, she was sent to the house of one of her paternal uncles.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the victim's six paternal uncles and her four brothers, who are siding with Sultan, are pressurising her to withdraw the case.

However, the victim told Dawn telephonically on Saturday evening that despite the pressure being exerted on her she would not withdraw the case against her father.

Sub-Inspector Maqsood, who is investigating the case, told this correspondent that the girl was staying 'safely' with her uncle.