MUZAFFARGARH: The Dera Ghazi Khan regional police officer (RPO) on Thursday ordered suspension of a station house officer (SHO) and investigation officer (IO) from service for trying to hush up rape of a medical student at gunpoint during a house robbery and making of video clip of the episode, by not mentioning the crimes in the FIR of the incident.

Acting on the orders, the district police officer (DPO) suspended both officials from service while launched an inquiry against Saddar Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Bakht Nasir.

The incident took place in Wan Pittafi town, near Goder Chowk, in the limits of Karam Dad Qureshi police station, on the night of April 19, when four robbers entered a house and besides looting cash and gold ornaments, raped a girl, a medical student, and filmed the heinous crime at gunpoint.

On being informed of the incident, the police started investigation. However, the police in the FIR did not mention the rape at gunpoint and the video clip and tried to hush up the matter, despite insistence of complainant Tanvir Hussain Pitaffi.

RPO also orders probe into DSP’s role

At this, the complainant approached Dera Ghazi Khan Regional Police Officer Mohammad Faisal Rana and informed him about the incident.

The RPO constituted a team to probe into the incident. The team in its inquiry report revealed that the Karam Dad Qureshi police station SHO Muhammad Kumail and the IO were involved in corruption and negligence and had a role in hushing up the rape and video clip issue.

Acting on the report, RPO Rana ordered suspension of the SHO and the IO from service, besides ordering an inquiry against the Saddar DSP.

The RPO also ordered the police to trace and arrest the culprits within 24 hours and recover from them the weapon and mobile phone used in the crime.

SOLAR ENERGY PROJECT: Governor Chaudhry Sarwar said on Thursday in the past the rulers evolved faulty energy policies as a result people and mill owners were paying high prices for electricity.

He was speaking at a ceremony to inaugurate plans for converting DHQ Hospital, schools and primary health centres on solar energy.

In Muzaffargarh, he said, five filtration plants had been completed while 16 were under construction. Each MPA of Muzaffargarh would be given six filtration plants.

Addressing the ceremony, Punjab Minister for Energy Dr Akhtar Malik said 150KW solar system was being installed at the DHQ Hospital at a cost of Rs14 million.

He said out of 1,374 schools in Muzaffargarh, 1,342 had been shifted to solar system. He said THQ hospitals, universities, prisons, courts and Darul Amaan would also be shifted to solar energy.

“The establishment of Solar Research Centre at Bahauddin University is a revolutionary step,” he said.

The governor also met PTI leaders in the committee room of the Circuit House.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2021