MUZAFFARGARH - Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took strict action against the police officers for poor performance and gross negligence in the case of Amna, a student of 1st year who committed self-immolation on the premises of the police station when the police favoured her rapists for bribes.
The CM suspended DPO Muzaffagarh Usman Akram Gondal, made Dera Ghazi Khan RPO Abdul Qadir Qayyum an SDO and ordered immediate arrest of DSP Ch Ashghar, Bait Mir Hazaran SHO Idrees and SI Rana Zulfiqar, the IO of the case.
He also reprimanded the inspector general and the additional IG investigations over what he said sheer negligence of duty on the part of the police.
The chief minister on Saturday morning went to the house of Amina Bibi at Basti Lundi Pitafi, tehsil Jatoi, district Muzaffargarh, to share grief of the victim family.
The chief minister offered fateha for the departed soul and sought details of the incident from the mother of Amina Bibi.
The chief minister asked all the top officers one by one as to why they failed to take timely action and overlooked the duty when the investigation of case was going on and even when Amina committed self-immolation. It was highly disturbing for him that the senior officers did not check what the subordinates were doing to favour the accused persons for bribes and got up only when the girl had committed suicide. The CM said he had passed clear-cut instructions to the police not to yield to any influence even if it was from his own side.
While strictly reprimanding RPO Dera Ghazi Khan and DPO Muzaffargarh, Shahbaz Sharif asked them why timely action was not taken, why necessary tests were not conducted from a forensic science laboratory, why action was not taken against the investigation officer, why the IO, the SHO and the DSP were not arrested. “This tragic incident is the worst example of injustice. The police have violated the law in providing justice,” the CM said. The chief minister lamented that the police and the law were found helpless on the worst cruelty and injustice in the area. He said the DPO should have immediately got the medical and forensic laboratory reports and taken legal action. He said this tragic incident had happened due to the negligence of the investigation police.
After offering fateha, Shahbaz Sharif also met the relatives of the deceased, consoled them and assured them that justice would be provided to the affected family and the negligent officials would not escape punishment. He reiterated the accused would be taken to task. He asserted such incidents were intolerable and assured the victim’s family that the injustice meted out to Amina Bibi would be rectified at all costs.
Earlier, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, during his visit to Amna’s house, ignored the protocol and sat on the ground mat with the victim family. Chairs and table had been arranged for the CM at the victim’s mud house, but he preferred to sit with the grief-stricken family members of Amina on the ground under the sun and at a place infested with flies. He patiently heard details of the incident from the parents of the deceased.
Shahbaz Sharif gave a cheque of Rs. 50,000 to the mother of the victim and also announced to provide job to her brother.
The CM, in an open court style, put queries on the police officers who mostly gave confused answers and beat about the bush. It was disturbing for him that none of the main culprits, the DSP, the SHO and the IO/SI, were present and that the police had failed to collect necessary evidence and get the DNA conducted. It further enraged him that the top officers did not bother to take notice of it.
It is worth mentioning that the DSP managed to escape from the scene some three hours ago. Addressing the IGP, the CM said what was the department doing if the CM himself had to reach the spot to get the culprits arrested.
Punjab ministers, Abdul Waheed Arain, Haroon Sultan Bukhari, the assembly members, the Dera Ghazi Khan Commissioner, the Muzaffargarh DCO and other officials concerned were also present on the occasion.
Later, talking to media persons, the chief minister said this horrible incident smacked of the worst kind of injustice caused by the police inefficiency. He asserted the police officers, besides being honest, should also display professional dutifulness.
To a question, the CM said his government was soon bringing vital changes to improve the police system which would ensure justice to the people. He warned the police that no delinquency on their part in future would be tolerated. He said had the police provided justice to Amina she would have been alive today. It was criminal negligence for which action had been taken, he added.