ISLAMABAD: Hearing a suo motu case on Friday regarding the stoning to death of a woman in Khanewal, the Supreme Court summoned the Punjab Police inspector general (IGP) for Monday, warning him that he might be suspended if the culprits were not arrested.
Criticising the Punjab government and police, the court also observed that they all knew about the incident but did not take any action. The court also asked the Punjab advocate general to inform the Punjab chief minister about the poor investigation carried out by police, while the deputy attorney general of Pakistan was also directed to provide the details of the incident to the quarters concerned. The court also sought a detailed report about the crime rate in Punjab. A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry heard the case about the killing of a woman on the orders of a local council in Khanewal on Wednesday.
According to details, Maryam Bibi, 25, mother of five, was killed for cutting grass growing on land belonging to a landlord, Raja Mehbub, in Khanewal. As per reports, the landlord had tried to sexually harass the woman, but she had refused to accept his demands. Consequently, he sent his men to the woman’s house, where they killed her by hitting her on the head with stones. The landlord also abducted her husband. Police registered a case against nine men for the murder.
During the hearing, the court objected to the investigation report, and said that the report was based on malafide intentions as it did not mention the local council. The Punjab advocate general told the bench that the local council was convened to settle the dispute. He further said that three of the men accused of the murder had been arrested.
The court sought record from the provincial inspector general and the district police officer concerned, and adjourned the hearing until July 23]
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