LAHORE   -  A Sessions Court on Thursday ordered registration of a case against skipper of national cricket team Babar Azam for allegedly harassing and blackmailing a woman.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Hamid Hussain  passed the orders while disposing of a petition filed by Hamiza Mukhtar seeking directions for registration of a case against Babar Azam on charges of harassing and blackmailing. During the proceedings, Federal Investigation Agency’s Cyber Crime Wing submitted a report in the court, stating that the petitioner had moved an application and alleged that she was being harassed and blackmailed through various phone numbers.

It was stated that the agency recorded statement of the complainant/petitioner and also summoned owners of registered numbers- Maryam Ahmad, Muhammad Babar and Saleemi Bibi. The report further stated that Saleemi Bibi did not join the inquiry whereas Maryam refused to identify complainant but she did not submit her phone for analysis despite being told. Babar Azam did not join the inquiry but his brother appeared and sought time for him. 

However, Babar Azam failed to appear in inquiry and did not record his statement despite given opportunity and he was found guilty, it added. Subsequently,  after hearing arguments of counsel for petitioner, the court ordered FIA to register a case against Babar Azam.

It is pertinent to mention here that in January, another Sessions Court had ordered police to register a criminal case against Babar Azam on charges of rape and others on a petition by Hamiza Mukhtar. However, the Lahore High Court had suspended orders on an appeal by the skipper and the matter was still pending.

ATC reserves verdict in Motorway gang-rape case

An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Thursday reserved its verdict in the Motorway gang-rape case, on completion of arguments of parties. The court will announce the verdict tomorrow (Saturday, March 20). ATC Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta conducted the case hearing at Camp Jail, wherein the jail authorities produced the accused, 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.

During the proceedings, the prosecutors argued that the accused gang-raped the victim woman at gunpoint and solid evidence was available against them. They argued that the accused were arrested after their DNA matched with the samples collected from crime scene whereas the victim woman also identified them during the identification parade, held in the presence of a Magistrate.