LAHORE - An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Thursday recorded statement of the victim woman during the hearing of Motorway gang-rape case in jail.

Deputy Prosecutor General Waqar Bhatti told that the court recorded the statement of the victim woman, first investigation officer and seven others including Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) experts, during the proceedings on Thursday.  He stated that the defence counsel also completed cross examination from the eight of said witnesses whereas the cross examination of ninth witnesses would be held on the next hearing.

He stated that the court also allowed an application filed by the prosecution Under Section 540 of Cr PC for summoning kids of the victim woman and granting them anonymity.  He stated that the kids were produced in the court but after initial inquiries, the court declared them incompetent witness and adjourned hearing till March 13.  ATC Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta conducted the case hearing at Camp Jail, wherein jail authorities produced Abid Malhi and Shafqat Ali, prime accused and co-accused.

Deputy Prosecutor General Hafiz  Asghar and Deputy Prosecutor General Waqar Bhatti represented the prosecution whereas advocates Sher Gull Qureshi and Qasim Arain appeared on behalf of the accused. It is pertinent to mention here that the court had recorded statements of 34 prosecution witnesses so far after the accused denied the charges on being indicted. The Gujjarpura police had filed a challan against the accused, wherein they were declared guilty. The police had requested the court for awarding strict punishment to the accused as sufficient evidence was available against them.  The police had also submitted a list of 53 witnesses.  

FIA files complete challan against Meesha Shafi, others

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Thursday filed a complete challan (charge-sheet) against Meesha Shafi and seven others in a case of running a vilification campaign on social media against singer-actor Ali Zafar. The FIA’s Cyber Crime Wing filed the complete challan before Judicial Magistrate Zulifqar Bari, who conducted the case proceedings. The court took serious notice of non-appearance of four accused, including Leena Ghani, Fariha Ayub, Haseemus Zaman and Ali Gul Pir, who had sought a one-time exemption from personal appearance due to sickness through their applications.

The court expressed annoyance, observing that how four accused could get sick at the same time. Subsequently, the court adjourned further hearing and summoned all accused on the next date of hearing.

It is pertinent to mention here that the FIA had filed the challan in the FIR registered on complaint of Ali Zafar. The agency declared Meera Shafi alias Meesha Shafi, Iffat Omar, Maham Javaid, Leena Ghani, Haseemus Zaman, Fariha Ayub, Syed Faizan Raza, and Ali Gul Pir guilty in the challan.

The FIA alleged that Meesha Shafi posted false allegations of sexual harassment against Ali Zafar in April 2018 and she failed to produce any evidence in favour of her allegations. The other suspects also failed to provide evidence in favour of the direct allegations posted by them on social media, it added.

In November 2018, Ali Zafar had moved a complaint with FIA, stating that the allegations against him were made under a premeditated plan conspired by Meesha Shafi and others and various fake social media accounts were used for the purpose.

It is pertinent to mention here that Ali Zafar had also filed a defamation suit against Meesha Shafi and it was pending before a Sessions Court.