Punjab CM orders judicial inquiry into child sex abuse scandal

LAHORE(Web Desk) - Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday said that a judicial inquiry will be conducted into the reports of Kasur's child sex abuse scandal.

Chief minister, in a statement to media, ordered the local police authorities to apprehend the culprits behind this horrific incident and give them exemplary punishment. Justice will be served to affected families at any cost, CM declared after an he was presented an initial investigation report.

He asked provincial interior ministry to immediately request the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court to form a commission to probe the sex abuse scandal.

Meanwhile Kasur police claimed to have arrested another culprit involved in producing and selling the sex abuse films in this case. As many as six culprits are already in police custody on physical remand, the officials said.

On the other hand at least ten more families have approached police to get registered FIRs.

Earlier Punjab’s Child Protection Bureau disclosed country’s largest child pornography ring, in which 400 videos have been confiscated featuring more than 280 children being sexually exploited.

The Nation published the report of organised child sex exploitation, which has shocked the nation.  According to the report, most of the victims were under 14 years of age. In one of the videos a six-year-old boy can be seen forced to perform sexual act, and a 10-year-old schoolgirl who was filmed being molested by a 14-year-old boy.

Thousands of copies of the sexual assault videos are believed to have been sold for Rs. 50 each in Hussain Khanwala village in Kasur district. According to the parents of the children, the gang members were in contact with pedophiles in western countries through Skype and would sell the videos overseas for large amounts of money.

According to our reporter, Shoaib Bhatti, the 3 villages namely Hussain Khanwala, Bagga, and Rohi Nala were under the control of a large child-porn gang that exported their content abroad. They barely sold their content in Pakistan. The whole scheme was being financed by two primary sources: extortion money from the victims and their families, and sales to foreigners over social media and Skype who would pay large amounts to sometimes watch these rapes live. Sales in local area was limited because it did not yield great profits. It is estimated that from extortion alone, they have earned Rupees 80 million.

Our reporter was also able procure a CD containing at least 280 clips of these barbaric acts from an ordinary villager.

District Police Officer (DPO) Kasur, Rai Babar Saeed said Saturday that they have recovered 60 to 70 video clips from which the perpetrators are being identified and action will immediately be taken against them. He further added that child sex abuse scandal is actually a 'land dispute' and those allegedly have been affected are exaggerating the facts.

However Punjab Home Minister, Shuja Khanzada, contradicted various statements by police officials in Kasur and confirmed that the incidents have in fact taken place albeit not in the numbers being portrayed in the media.

He went on to say that the case is indeed terrible and shameful, adding that no stone will be left unturned during investigations. He further said that every guilty criminal involved will be brought to justice.

According to another report, Editor-in-chief, The Nation, Rameeza Majid Nizami took to Twitter to expose the politician who protected the abusers.

Local MPA PMLN GandaSinghWala Malik Ahmad Saeed had allegations against main suspect of child abuse ring withdrawn. pic.twitter.com/W2swXuGVr4

— Rameeza Majid Nizami (@RameezaNizami) August 8, 2015

Many others on social media and TV channels have condemned the scandal and urged provincial government to try those behind this under terrorism law. PTI chairman Imran Khan has also announced to pursue the heinous incident of child abuse in parliament.