Will take notice of any sign of negligence, Sanaullah on Kasur scandal proceedings
Such cases should not be used for political gains, says provincial law minister
January 26, 2018
LAHORE: Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Friday that if any sign of negligence or dereliction of duty surfaces in the Kasur child abuse scandal then the provincial government will take notice.
Sanaullah was speaking to Geo News, shortly after an in-depth report by Geo.tv shed light on the 2015 scandal and its aftermath.
The provincial law minister said a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) was constituted after the scandal surfaced, which worked tirelessly and submitted a challan on the matter as well.
He added that the case is proceeding in the anti-terrorism court and the prosecution is assisting the affectees.
While responding to a question about an MPA offering a family Rs450,000, Sanaullah said that if that was the case then the family should have stated the same before the court.
He further said that the courts are present to hand over the verdict in the cases and the matter is being investigated.
Sanaullah maintained that such cases should not be used for political gains.
While responding to a query related to the counseling and schooling of the young victims, he claimed the state tried to assist them but the parents of the children refused to send them out of their area to boarding schools.
He also said that the state cannot interfere further in such cases, adding that if there are any complaints, then parents should approach the court that they aren’t receiving complete legal assistance.
The investigative report mentioned the rampant child abuse cases in Kasur's Hussain Khanwala village. Even after the incident which surfaced in 2015, cases of sexual assault involving children continued to be brought to the public arena.
In 2016, 141 child offences were reported from Kasur alone, according to data provided by Sahil, an Islamabad based NGO working to prevent child exploitation. None of the cases made national headlines.
According to Sahil, cases of sexual abuse against children are recorded nationwide every year. However, reports from Kasur always stand out.
