A suspect accused of raping a 13-year-old boy during Aitkaf in Muzaffargarh has been apprehended, as confirmed by both police authorities and the National Commission on the Rights of Child (NCRC) on Thursday.
Muzaffargarh police spokesperson, Waseem Gopang, affirmed the arrest, highlighting its swift execution within 24 hours of the case being filed against the suspect. Initially evading capture, the suspect was later apprehended by a police team utilizing modern technology under the supervision of Station House Officer (SHO) Shahid Rizwan.
Gopang further elucidated, stating, “The suspect is accused of raping a minor boy who was observing Aitkaf.”
The Punjab police corroborated the arrest of the suspect from Kot Addu district, announcing the initiation of investigations. “The suspect will be punished according to his crime,” affirmed the police in a statement.
NCRC, through a Facebook post, disseminated a report on the case, affirming, “Taking cognizance of the case, NCRC followed up with the district police office Muzaffargarh and it has been informed that the culprit has been arrested.”
The commission pledged to ensure justice prevails and the perpetrator is held accountable.NCRC Chairperson Ayesha Raza Farooque lauded the Punjab police’s proactive stance, expressing determination towards achieving justice.
“We will do our best to ensure that justice prevails,” she emphasized. Noteworthy is the absence of political figures engaging in discourse surrounding the case despite widespread social media outrage.
The victim was observing Aitkaf at a mosque at Sanawan Bukhi Chowk when the alleged perpetrator, purportedly also observing Aitkaf, committed the heinous act. Initially evading capture, the suspect was reportedly issuing threats to the mosque’s imam.
Subsequently, the victim was transported to a hospital for medical examination, while SHO Rizwan assured the imminent arrest of the suspect. This incident underscores a series of similar occurrences in the country in recent weeks.
Last month, Kot Addu Saddar police registered a rape case against a counterfeit diploma-holder doctor, accused of assaulting a nine-year-old girl at Taunsa Mor. Prior to that, a seminary teacher and his wife were arrested in Faisalabad’s Madina Town for repeated attempts to rape a minor girl student alongside subjecting her to torture.
An annual report by Sahil, a non-profit organization advocating for children’s welfare, revealed alarming statistics. The ‘Cruel Numbers 2023’ report unveiled that 11 children faced abuse daily in 2023, with acquaintances and relatives predominantly implicated. Children aged six to 15 were identified as the most vulnerable demographic, with more male victims reported.
Disturbingly, cases of sexual abuse also extended to children as young as zero to five years old. The report underscored the involvement of acquaintances, relatives, family members, strangers, and even female abettors in perpetrating such crimes.
Encouragingly, 91% of the reported cases were duly registered with the police, indicative of an active law enforcement role in addressing the issue.
