DERA ISMAIL KHAN – Police in DI Khan have arrested seven men for parading a young woman through a village naked in connection with a dispute over family honor.
The incident occurred on October 27. The 16-year-old girl was returning home after fetching water when men surrounded her, stripped her and forcefully made her walk in the locality for an hour.
The girl’s screams for help fell on deaf ears as no one came to her rescue. The witnesses’ claimed that nobody came to help her because they were scared.
The incident’s survivor was ‘punished’ for her brother’s behaviour. Around three years ago, her brother, identified as Sajjad, got involved in a relationship with a girl from the village.
A panchayat (village council) gathered and had fined Sajjad’s family Rs105,000 to resolve the matter. The tehsil nazim was also a part of the decision-making process.
The local police also showed reluctance following the incident to file the case, shared the survivor’s family. The girl was taken to the police station multiple times before a case was eventually filed.
Moreover, it was further revealed that a case had first been registered against the survivor’s family.
The police informed that eight suspects have been arrested so far. However, the prime suspect, identified as Sajawal, is still on the run.
Taking notice of the incident, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak ordered Inspector-General KP Salahuddin Masood to take the culprits to task. The IG also met the chief minister and briefed him on the matter.
Nine to seven suspects involved in the case have been arrested so far, the IG informed, adding that the area DIG is personally monitoring the case.
Khattak remarked that the culprits should be brought before the court to ensure justice.
