ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) observed on Tuesday that Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police has completely failed to perform in the case of rape and murder of minor girl Asma in Mardan.
Chief Justice Saqib Nisar remarked that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police’s failure to arrest the culprit in the murder and rape of minor Asma is reflective of the force’s incompetence.
The Supreme Court was hearing its suo motu case in the rape and murder of four-year-old girl, who was found in sugarcane fields two weeks back.
The case is being heard by a three-member bench, comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Saqib Nasir and comprising Justices Umar Ata Bandial and Ijazul Ahsan.
The bench wondered why the K-P government has no forensics lab of its own to test DNA. “You have no capacity to investigate the matter, therefore, you are dependent on Punjab government,” the CJP said.
“This is the total failure of KP,” he added. Justice Nisar also asked why IG KP did not appear before the court. The court had summoned Advocate-General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as the province’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) to appear at today’s hearing.
During the hearing, the Deputy Inspector-General of KP informed the Supreme Court that he expects to be provided with the forensic report in the rape and murder case of minor Aasma by today. Further probe can be carried out when we have the complete forensic report, he said.
The DIG informed the court that evidence collected from the incident site was submitted to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency, which is expected to provide the report today. Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) K-P Alam Khan Shinwari told the three-member bench that 350 people have been interrogated so far, and few suspects have been identified as well. He further added that this is a “blind case”, and evidence has yet to be gathered. The court adjourned the hearing till February 6th. Asma was reported missing from the Gujjar Garhi area in Mardan on January 13, and recovered dead the next day from the nearby sugarcane fields. The murderer remains at large. INP
