MANSEHRA: The local police on Friday arrested three people, including a woman, in a gang rape case on the court’s orders.

However, a suspect fled from the court premises.

Additional sessions judge Asghar Ali Shah ordered the arrest of all suspects, including Mohammad Aurangzeb, Mohammad Sabir, Mehreen Bibi and Ashiq Hussain, after the rape victim complained that she was being pressured for the out-of-the-court settlement.

The police arrested the suspects except Ashiq Hussain, who escaped after the judge cancelled their pre-arrest bails. The counsel for the suspects produced a copy of the deal struck by his clients with the rape victim.

However, the court rejected it observing that the girl had alleged that the suspects had threatened her with dire consequence, so she agreed to settling the issue out of court.

Bilal Khan, the counsel for suspects, said he would challenge bail cancellation in the high court.

Also, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl central leader Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan visited the King Abdullah Teaching Hospital here and inquired after party leader Mufti Kifayatullah, who was injured in an attack early on Wednesday.

Mr Gul told reporters that if the culprits weren’t held, it meant that the government was behind the attack. He said the prime minister should step down otherwise the youths would use undemocratic means to remove him.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2019