Tag: motorway rape

  • ‘Hadsa’ is back, Islamabad High Court reverses suspension

    ‘Hadsa’ is back, Islamabad High Court reverses suspension

    The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has released a judgement ordering the reversal of the suspension on the controversial drama ‘Hadsa’, a series banned by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) after the motorway rape survivor accused the show of capitalising on her trauma. Legal expert Reema Omar shared a clip of the judgement on her Twitter account, where it was highlighted that the regulation board had not listened to the drama makers before announcing the ban:

    “The inconvenience caused to the applicant/appellant side including their irreparable loss is visible, all these ingredients compel this Court to pass the injunctive order.”

    The judgement also ordered that the explicit scene in question- the controversial gang rape of Episode 5- may not be repeated or broadcasted in the upcoming episodes.

    The controversy surrounding ‘Hadsa’ began in August when journalist Fareeha Idress shared an account of her conversation with the survivor, who shared that she was not consulted by the show runners who aired the controversial scene, and requested help from authorities to take down the drama.

    “They have made a drama on my life,” Fereeha tweeted Z told her. “As if I am nothing, no one asked me, it’s same, they are showing the same things, oh my God! Why didn’t I die before reliving this again? You know , I didn’t sleep after the incident for many many nights and it’s all back now, I haven’t slept a wink since I saw this terrible, horrendous depiction of the most terrible moments of my life which I so want to forget. It’s unbearable, I start shivering every day at 5 pm because I know the drama is coming at 7 pm. Why are they doing this to me?”.

    READ MORE: ‘I asked is this related to the motorway incident’: Hadiqa Kiani on motorway rape survivor statement

    Hadiqa Kiani released a lengthy statement on her social media accounts addressing the accusation, saying that after consulting the script writer and the rest of the team, she was sure the drama was not based on the motorway rape survivor:

    “When I was asked to do the role of Taskeen for Hadsa my first question was ‘Is this related to the motorway incident?’ ‘Is this based off the true incident?’ – I made it clear that I would not do the project if it was based off anyone’s story. The team behind the project explicitly told me ‘No’. After many conversations with the team and only after reading the script I understood that Hadsa was not related to or based off on the motorway story.”

    Director Wajahat Rauf answered the criticism by saying the drama was not based on the life of the motorway survivor, and said the purpose of the screenplay was to raise awareness about the ordeal rape survivors go through:

    “The drama is not based on the motorway incident. The protagonist, her husband, her three children, the family dynamics, the police officers who investigate the crime, the reason behind the crime, and the trial are all fictional. The only thing common is the part that the incident occurred on a highway.”

    “The last thing we would want to do is be insensitive towards someone who has been a victim of this brutal crime. It is our opinion that it would be far more insensitive towards the victims if we did not adopt a condemnation tone; in that case, one might argue that we are not at all familiar with the trauma that a rape victim goes through.”

    “Our writer did speak to actual victims who were willing to talk about their trauma and how they eventually coped with it and that is what is reflected in the play. A character should be judged after seeing her entire role. Judgement shouldn’t be passed on the basis of a glimpse of social media posts. Writers and directors can show temporary weakness to show long term strength of a character that develops.”

    On August 31, PEMRA released a statement announcing a ban on ‘Hadsa’.

  • Nadia Afghan, Nadia Jamil slam ‘disgusting’ dialogue from ‘Hadsa’

    Nadia Afghan, Nadia Jamil slam ‘disgusting’ dialogue from ‘Hadsa’

    Trigger warning: mention of rape, violence

    After the controversial drama ‘Hadsa’ was slammed by social media users for allegedly depicting without consent the ordeal of the motorway rape case that happened in 2020, several social media users slammed lead actress Hadiqa Kiani for her ‘tone-deaf’ statement, as well as writer Zanjabeel Asim Shah, and demanded that PEMRA take down the show.

    Now, a controversial dialogue from the drama has made rounds on social media, where the main character, Taskeen, can be heard saying “Jaisay murday ke jism mein rooh waapis nahi aati..waisay hee khoi hui izzat waapis nahi aati.” The clip was shared by Geo’s official Instagram account, as can be seen below.

    The dialogue was spoken in episode 5, after Taskeen is recovering in the hospital from her wounds after the violence.

    The controversial dialogue has launched more uproar on social media, with users demanding to know how it got approved by Hadiqa, who’s repertoire includes feminist dramas that empowered women.

    Activist Leena Ghani pointed out:

    ‘What excuse is Hadiqa Kiani going to give us now? That she didn’t read the dialogues? Was she forced to say ‘Khoi huwi izzat..’ Izzat victims nahi hotey balkay rapists ki koi izzat nahi hoti. Is this how @harpalgeotv wants to spread awareness by victim blaming and gaslighting survivors of sexual abuse? Why doesn’t anyone in the industry have a backbone and why can’t they ever do the right thing?”

    Actress Nadia Jamil slammed the dialogue as “disgusting”, and said no survivor of rape has her honor robbed.

    “Firstly NO HONOUR OF MINE WAS ROBBED WHEN I WAS RAPED. NO HONOUR OF ANY RAPE SURVIVOR IS ROBBED. THOSE WHO RAPED HAD AND HAVE NO HONOUR. THEY are the ones who should feel and be in shame. Not the victim.”

    The actress called out PEMRA and GEO for encouraging the ugly narrative of shame that would further marginalise survivors of rape, and said it took her years of therapy and coaching to come to a place where she herself- as a survivor of child abuse- could not feel ashamed about her trama.

    “The narrative of SHAME that is dumped on rape survivors is horrible. It’s a burden we carry through our lives. It took me years of therapy, prayer and coaching to come to a place of solid self worth and self respect within myself. Today movements like #notmyshame Shatter the Shame that survivors of abuse and rape have carried. Allowing us to belong to a tribe that recognises, the shame was never ours to carry, or suffer, to begin with. People like @ejtayloruk work hard to build a community where survivors feel empowered and safe. Please do not encourage this ugly narrative of shame for survivors @GeoTvNews @reportpemra you have a responsibility that comes with your power. Many men and women watching this may have been raped and it’s the last thing they need to hear AND it’s a lie.”

    Nadia Afghan also criticised content heads for their “insensitive and callous” approach towards sensitive topics like rape, and their only motive is to make more money out of it, saying that she was “disgusted and heartbroken.”

  • ‘I asked is this related to the motorway incident’: Hadiqa Kiani on motorway rape survivor statement

    ‘I asked is this related to the motorway incident’: Hadiqa Kiani on motorway rape survivor statement

    Intense backlash rose on Monday when journalist Fereeha Idress revealed how the drama ‘Hadsa’ was similar to the horrific motorway rape crime, stressing that the survivor was traumatised after seeing her ordeal being depicted online without her consent. Now actress Hadiqa Kiani has responded to the backlash with a lengthy statement where she clarified that initially while reading the script, she had found a lot of similarities between the crime and the storyline, but agreed to do the project after several discussions with the writer.

    “When I was asked to do the role of Taskeen for Hadsa my first question was ‘Is this related to the motorway incident?’ ‘Is this based off the true incident?’ – I made it clear that I would not do the project if it was based off anyone’s story. The team behind the project explicitly told me ‘No’. After many conversations with the team and only after reading the script I understood that Hadsa was not related to or based off on the motorway story.”

    The ‘Janaan’ singer then shared how necessary she felt it was to do a project like Hadsa which was about how rape was a reality of the world that we live in.

    “These are the realities of the world we live in. I have sadly been exposed to so many stories like this one but I can say that Hadsa is not based off on any one’s story, but based off on a sickly common part of our reality.”

    While we appreciate the fact that Hadiqa recognised the reason behind the backlash and came forward to give her side of the story in, the reality remains that the team behind ‘Hadsa’ should have done a better job in executing such a sensitive topic. If the actress had felt in the beginning while reading the script that it was quite similar to the 2020 crime, it should have been her duty right away to step away from a project that was profitting off from the misery and trauma of a survivor, or even chosen to consult her to keep them in the loop.

    Also, ‘Hadsa’ team should have consulted with experts about depicting sensitive topics- such as calling rape a “misfortune”‘, or displaying acts of violence and sexual abuse so graphically, so that rape and sexual abuse survivors are not forced to relive their trauma.

    Actress Hadiqa Kiani is starring in a new drama series ‘Hadsa’ which depicts the life of a headstrong woman, who is raped while travelling with her son on an empty highway. Many users since the drama began airing, pointed out how the drama’s storyline was similar to the horrifying motorway rape case of 2021, when a woman travelling on motorway with her two children was assaulted and raped by two men infront of her two children. The drama is written by Zanjabeel Asim Shah, and directed by Wajahat Rauf, and stars Aly Khan, Romaisa Khan, Khaqan Shahnawaz.

    Journalist Fereeha Idress, who reported the account of the anonymous survivor, has now taken to X, formerly Twitter, to slam the makers behind ‘Hadsa’ for violating the privacy of the lone survivor, who revealed that the makers, nor the star-studded cast and crew, had approached her for consent on making a drama about a horrifying ordeal she had undergone.

    In a lengthy statement, Fereeha said the survivor, Z, had tried to keep her and her family’s identity protected, after undergoing the trauma, but was once more triggered by the depictions in the show.

    “They have made a drama on my life,” Fereeha tweeted Z told her. “As if I am nothing, no one asked me, it’s same, they are showing the same things, oh my God! Why didn’t I die before reliving this again? You know , I didn’t sleep after the incident for many many nights and it’s all back now, I haven’t slept a wink since I saw this terrible, horrendous depiction of the most terrible moments of my life which I so want to forget. It’s unbearable, I start shivering every day at 5 pm because I know the drama is coming at 7 pm. Why are they doing this to me?”.

    The journalist slammed the creators for forcing the survivor to re-live the trauma and not taking into consideration the ordeal she, her loved ones, including the children had gone through. Rather than allowing her to heal and tell the incident on her own choice, they made a drama out of it.-

    “The moment the drama episode goes on air, all comments start talking about motorway incident. Can’t they let me forget about this? They have followed my life. Isn’t this harassment? How they traced things in my life when I was so clear of keeping everything so private? My in laws must be watching it, my brother in law, my mother, my neighbours, oh my God! No one even cared to ask me? I am not dead yet! Do they want me dead? Can’t I just forget about this and move on?”

    In the next tweet, Fereeha wrote that Z, the survivor, was in extreme distress, speaking to the journalist on the phone. The drama had forced her to re-live the ordeal all over again.

    “My question is when everyone knew I never wanted to come in the limelight, why was I thrown into it again and again? So many known people, celebrities, politicians etc wanted to come and meet me or talk to me post incident, but I always declined because I wanted my privacy and didn’t want anything else but the culprits punished. Is it all about making money? Does no one care what I am going through by this triggered trauma? What my kids and husband will be going through? Do they even know how I am spending my life? Everyday is a struggle. I am being thick skinned and staying alive only for my children. They didn’t even care for my children. Do you know my kids have not forgotten..”

    Z requested the journalist to get the drama stopped, so that she would stopped being approached by public figures or being recognised as the ‘motorway wali’.

    “Can you pls get this drama stopped? Can Pak pls help me stop this? It’s like whole world is watching my misery and pain as I am reliving it. Pls tell them to make this once I am dead, I am alive right now or did they think I would have died? And pls not even after my death as I have children, they can make this after we have all died”

    There has been no response from the makers behind the drama, or from the lead star Hadiqa Kiani and the rest of the actors on this accusation.

    This is not the first time Pakistani dramas have been accused of ripping of the trials and ordeals of survivors, without taking consent from the family members or giving them a portion of the profits earned. Previously, it was Bhaagi, starring Saba Qamar, which was accused for depicting the life of the social media star Qandeel Baloch, without the consent of her family members. As Nighat Dad tweeted the father of the murdered star, Azeem Baba, was informed by other villagers that a drama was made on his daughter’s life.

  • ‘Hadsa’ writer Zanjabeel Asim Shah refutes allegations from motorway rape survivor

    ‘Hadsa’ writer Zanjabeel Asim Shah refutes allegations from motorway rape survivor

    After Hadiqa Kiani, the writer behind the controversial drama ‘Hadsa’ has come forward to address allegations that the script is based on the horrific motorway rape case, in which a woman was gang-raped in 2020 in front of her young children. Episode 5 of the drama shows the female lead, Taskeen, and her son driving down a highway at night when their car suddenly stops. Soon after, a group of men arrive who subject the female lead to torture and rape. Journalist Fereeha Idrees called the story a serious violation of privacy, and demanded that PEMRA shut down the show for exploiting a survivor’s trauma for ratings, without her or her family’s approval.

    Now, in a conversation with BBC Urdu, the writer has denied these allegations, pointing out that every woman, regardless of her background, can suffer from rape:

    “The similarity is just a coincidence. Every woman who goes through this incident, whether she is rich or poor, or whether she comes from an educated family or not, will get affected. Our dramas speak about our sufferings and our situations.”

    ‘When you fight this war, you’re also getting your catharsis,” he said.

    Zanjabeel went on to discuss writing on other topics like child sexual abuse and said that sometimes, drama scripts can bear resemblance to real life cases.

    “I have shown a young son who was getting married. We often say that a woman is going out alone, but she would still be helpless even if her husband went with her.”

    Since the allegations by Idrees went viral, on X, formerly Twitter, the hashtag #banhadsa began trending, with social media users criticing the cast and crew behind for violating the privacy of the rape survivor, and called for PEMRA to ban the drama. To which, Zanjabeel had responded:

    “PEMRA had banned my drama ‘Pyaar Ke Sadqaay’ too. But does this mean girls are not abused inside their homes? PEMRA had annoyed even Bee Gul so much over her drama ‘Darr Si Jaati Hai’. If they keep doing this, then should we only make dramas about saas-bahu conflicts? If we can’t make dramas about sensitive topics, then should we only make romance dramas,” he asked.

    Hadiqa Kiani released a statement on her social media account, saying that when she first read the script there were similarities with the motorway rape case, but after discussions with the writer and team, she understood that the drama was entirely different.

    Her statement was slammed by social media users, who demanded that she stop gaslighting survivors of rape and trauma.

  • Motorway rape case culprits handed death sentence

    Motorway rape case culprits handed death sentence

    An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore has handed two culprits in the motorway rape case – Abid Malhi and Shafqat Bagga – a death sentence. They have also been sentenced to prison for life and slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 each.

    According to reports, the two have been sentenced to death for gang-raping a woman on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway in September 2020. The court, which had earlier reserved the verdict, announced it today at Lahore’s Camp Jail, where the trial took place.

    This is the first time that convicts in a gang-rape case have been handed death sentences.

    The court has also ordered to confiscate the two convicts’ properties.

    THE INCIDENT

    A woman, along with her three children, was driving to Gujranwala in her car when she was forced to stop at the Gujjarpura section of the Lahore-Sialkot motorway after running out of fuel at around 1:30 am in September 2020.

    She immediately called a relative and sent him her location. He asked her to also dial the Motorway Police helpline 130 but she was reportedly refused help.

    In the meantime, two robbers approached the car, broke the window and took the woman and her children to nearby bushes where they raped her repeatedly in front of the children. They also snatched her purse that had cash around Rs100,000, one bracelet, car registration and three ATM cards.

    Read more – ‘We took her kids to the bushes to make her follow us,’ says man who gang-raped mother of three

    The Gujjarpura police have registered a case, while Motorway Police spokesperson said they had not been able to take action as the incident did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police.

    The case had sparked outrage and protests across the country following which the government formulated the Anti-Rape Ordinance 2020, under which special courts will be set up across the country to expedite trials of rape cases on a priority basis and award harsher sentences, such as chemical castration.

  • Sanam Saeed’s ‘Ab Buss’ takes inspiration from the motorway gang-rape incident

    Sanam Saeed’s ‘Ab Buss’ takes inspiration from the motorway gang-rape incident

    A new short film by YouTube channel See Prime titled Ab Buss starring Sanam Saeed in the lead takes inspiration from the horrible Lahore Motorway gang-rape incident that shook the nation earlier this year.

    The short film, written by Shahid Dogar and directed by Mohsin Talat, sends out a strong message on the subject. The plot of the film revolves around a woman who is taking extreme precautions while preparing for a trip to visit her father.

    “She knows she’s done it before and she can do it again – Maya packs for an unexpected trip as she gets a phone call,” reads the film’s official synopsis.

    Sanam has been a vocal advocate for women’s safety and empowerment. Earlier in September, the actor also took Twitter to demand castration as punishment for rapists.

    “Why hang them when we can castrate them? Why let them go so easily when they can live with the pain, shame, and guilt without their genitals,” she had written.

    She had further asserted that there should be zero tolerance for such heinous acts.

  • Prime suspect of motorway rape case escapes police again; this time after pushing cops away

    Prime suspect of motorway rape case escapes police again; this time after pushing cops away

    The prime suspect of the motorway gang-rape case has once again managed to avoid arrest after dodging the cops, this time in Nankana Sahib, The Current has learnt.

    “Abid Ali was visiting his sister-in-law in Nankana Sahib on Thursday afternoon when local authorities received information about his whereabouts and cordoned off the area,” police sources said, adding that suspect Abid Ali, however, managed to escape.

    According to Dunya News, this was the fourth occasion within the past 10 days when Abid managed to escape.

    “He was present at a park with his sister-in-law, and despite intel, the police responded after a delay of at least 30 minutes. When they tried to nab him, he pushed the cops and fled,” sources said.

    Earlier on Wednesday, Abid managed to avoid being arrested when a heavy contingent of police and other law enforcement agencies raided Raja Jang area of Kasur.

    According to reports, police had received information about Abid’s arrival but he disappeared into nearby fields amid suspicion over heavy cop presence.

    The incident was followed by a five-hour search operation in vain and the arrest of five of Abid’s relatives from Kasur for interrogation.

    Meanwhile, Abid’s ID card has been blocked to keep him from fleeing abroad.

    The statement of the gang-rape survivor, on the other hand, has also not yet been recorded.

    THE INCIDENT:

    A woman, along with her three children, was driving to Gujranwala in her car when she was forced to stop at the Gujjarpura section of the Lahore-Sialkot motorway after running out of fuel at around 1:30 am last week.

    She immediately called a relative and sent him her location. He asked her to also dial the Motorway Police helpline 130 but she was reportedly refused help.

    In the meantime, two robbers approached the car, broke the window and took the woman and her children to nearby bushes where they raped her repeatedly in front of the children. They also snatched her purse that had cash around Rs100,000, one bracelet, car registration and three ATM cards.

    READ: ‘We took her kids to the bushes to make her follow us,’ says man who gang-raped mother of three

    The Gujjarpura police have registered a case, while Motorway Police spokesperson said they had not been able to take action as the incident did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police.

    Amid a strong reaction by the public and countrywide protests, at least one of the two culprits has surrendered. Abid is the arrested individual’s co-accused.

  • Dr Shahbaz Gill hits out at Frieha Altaf, Sarwat Gilani, calls them ‘pathetic elite’

    Dr Shahbaz Gill hits out at Frieha Altaf, Sarwat Gilani, calls them ‘pathetic elite’

    Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill has hit out at Frieha Altaf and Sarwat Gilani, referring to them as ‘badbakht elite’ after a video of theirs on their way to the celebrity protest went viral on social media.

    In the video, Sarwat and Frieha are telling their followers that they are on their way to the protest to demand justice for the motorway gang-rape victim and show a poster which reads ‘Rapped’ instead of ‘Raped’.

    Besides Dr Gill, several other social media users have called out the actors for being insensitive.

    Some social media users also directly called out Altaf and reminded users of problematic things she has done in the past.

    While Frieha and Sarwat are yet to respond to Dr Gill’s comments, Sarwat earlier clarified that a second protest was held because “a lot of celebrities were busy with work on the first protest’s date, [so] we decided to get out a day when most of us were available.” According to details, the protest was organised by Yasir Hussain, Frieha Altaf and Asim Jofa.

    Sarwat has now made her Twitter account private and only those who follow her can view her tweets.

    Meanwhile, fashion designer Maheen Khan, who was also part of the protest, also responded to some users who questioned why the celebrities felt the need to organise a separate protest. She also addressed the allegations that they hijacked the transgender’s protest.

    Other celebrities present at the protest include Mahira Khan, Sarah Khan, Ayesha Omar, Adnan Siddiqui, Ali Rehman Khan, Aijaz Aslam, Bushra Ansari, Anoushey Abbasi and Gul-e-Rana.

  • IN PICTURES: Celebrities demand justice for rape victims, safe space for women

    IN PICTURES: Celebrities demand justice for rape victims, safe space for women

    The gang-rape of a woman on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway has sparked nationwide outrage, with countless protests being organised across the country to demand justice for the victim and safe space for women in the country. Members of the Pakistani Entertainment Industry also took the initiative of organising a peaceful protest outside the Karachi Press Club to raise their voice on the matter and give it more momentum.

    Among those present at the occasion was Mahira Khan, Sarah Khan, Ayesha Omar, Adnan Siddiqui, Ali Rehman Khan, Aijaz Aslam, Frieha Altaf, Bushra Ansari, Sarwat Gilani, Yasir Hussain, Asim Jofa, Anoushey Abbasi and Gul-e-Rana.

    Sharing pictures from the event, Mahira said: “We demand a secure nation for all women! At home, on the streets, at work, alone, not alone, with kids, without kids, in a skirt or in a burkha. Wherever she may be, whoever she may be – we demand basic rights of safety.”

    Holding a placard, which read “Real men don’t rape”, Sarah Khan said: “No mercy for rapists.”

    Sarwat Gilani said that the entertainment fraternity came out to “demand justice and security for our women and children”. Sarwat also lauded Prime Minister Imran Khan’s decision to punish rapists with castration — the process of removal of testicles of a man.

    We stand together as one voice,” said Ali Rehman. “One voice to demand the protection of our women, children and transgenders. One voice to demand their freedom. “We stand together.”

    Aijaz Aslam held a placard which read: “Stop rape”.

    Mansha Pasha said she stepped out after a long time to “join a protest and speak about the state of women’s safety in Pakistan and the fact that there is none.”

    “We aren’t safe on the street, at work or even in our homes,” she added.

    “Rape happens because of: 1) Rapist; 2) Failure of law enforcement agencies,” asserted Mansha.

    Yasir Hussain and Adnan Siddiqui addressed the protesters gathered at the venue.

    Bushra Ansari stood by her earlier stance, saying that hanging the rapist is not enough.

    According to details, the protest was organised by Yasir Hussain, Frieha Altaf and Asim Jofa.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CFHfSydAWtj/

    Read more – ‘We took her kids to the bushes to make her follow us,’ says man who gang-raped mother of three

    Meanwhile, some social media users are criticising the actors for holding a separate protest instead of attending the main one organised by the Aurat March.

    Sarwat later clarified that a second protest was held because “a lot of celebrities were busy with work on the first protest’s date, [so] we decided to get out a day when most of us were available.”

  • Imran approves tabling of bill to remove rapists’ testicles

    Imran approves tabling of bill to remove rapists’ testicles

    The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to bring to parliament a bill to punish rapists with castration — the process of removal of testicles of a man or animal, ARY News quoted sources in the government as saying.

    According to reports, Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has approved legislation to castrate rapists once proven guilty, and government bodies will soon be introducing it in the parliament.

    Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda has reportedly been delegated with the task of furnishing the draft bill that proposes neutering sex offenders.

    “After the castration bill, the government will also table a bill for the hanging of such criminals,” Vawda was quoted as saying.

    The development comes hours after senior journalist and analyst Dr Moeed Pirzada quoted the premier as saying that criminals such as those involved in the Lahore-Sialkot motorway gang-rape should be hanged at public squares.

    According to the journalist, the premier made the statement while speaking to him during an interview that will air tonight (Monday) on 92 News.

    The interview comes days after a mother of three was raped by two men after her car ran out of fuel on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway past midnight.

    As per the details, the woman, along with her three children, was driving to Gujranwala in her car when she was forced to stop at the Gujjarpura section of the motorway after running out of fuel at around 1:30 am.

    She immediately called a relative and sent him her location. He asked her to also dial the Motorway Police helpline 130 but she was reportedly refused help.

    In the meantime, two robbers approached the car, broke the window and took the woman and her children to nearby bushes where they raped her repeatedly in front of the children. They also snatched her purse that had cash around Rs100,000, one bracelet, car registration and three ATM cards. 

    The Gujjarpura police have registered a case, while motorway police spokesperson said they had not been able to take action as the incident did not occur in the limits of Motorway Police.

    Amid a strong reaction by the public and countrywide protests, at least one of the two culprits has been identified.

    PUBLIC HANGINGS:

    While a number of people are demanding public hanging of the accused such as sought for serial child rapist and killer Imran Ali of Kasur, the premier’s belief contradicts that of federal science and technology minister and his government’s former spokesperson, Fawad Chaudhry.

    A day earlier, Fawad had said that calls for hanging and burning the rapists alive from prominent members of his party and the educated faction were a reflection of the society’s violent thinking.

    The minister’s comments had come after two members of the ruling party, namely Senator Faisal Javed and Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda, called for extreme punishments for those behind the gang-rape and the rape and murder of minor Marwah in Karachi.