FAISALABAD, Sept 4: Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s lawyers have reportedly decided to ask the one-member inquiry tribunal not to initiate an inquiry into the rape-cum-torture allegations levelled against a former investigation SP and other police officials as the apex court had already sought a report from Punjab chief secretary and IG on the matter.

The HRCP has also decided not to send victim Sonia Naz to Faisalabad to appear before the inquiry tribunal which had summoned her on Monday (today).

On the request of Punjab Home Department, the Lahore High Court chief justice had constituted a one-member inquiry tribunal headed by District and Session Judge Abdul Waheed Khan to conduct an inquiry into the charges levelled by Ms Naz.

The tribunal also asked the public that any one having knowledge or information about Ms Naz’s allegations could record statement. The tribunal had been asked to complete its proceedings within a week and fix responsibility upon the defaulters if there was any substance in the allegations.

Meanwhile, the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights has also taken up the case of Sonia’s alleged rape and torture, and missing of her husband.

According to police sources, the committee had directed DIG Sajjad Ahmad and the DPO to appear before it with all relevant record on Monday.

summoned: DIG Zafar Ahmad Quershi-led team probing the Sonia Naz rape allegations against two police officials and the motor registration scandal has summoned for Monday (today) DIG (Jails) Chaudhry Nasir Mahmood Warraich and over a dozen police officials for recording their statements in the Central Police Headquarters in Lahore.

Information gathered by Dawn on Sunday revealed that the inquiry team had got a clue about the involvement of DIG (Jails) Nasir Mahmood Warraich, a close relative of chief accused SP Abdullah Khalid Warraich, and all those officers who remained in touch with the investigation process in the motor vehicles scandal which led to the ‘arrest’ and subsequent disappearance of Asim Yousaf, the husband of Sonia.

Earlier, the inquiry committee recorded the statements of Faisalabad Range DIG Chaudhry Sajjad Ahmad, Faisalabad DPO Muhammad Ameen Wains, accused Abdullah Khalid and several other police and excise and taxation department officials. Besides, the statement of Saddar police SP Rana Taquir Hayat Khan was recorded.

Sources told Dawn that the committee cross-examined all the officers and officials on the basis of the statement of Sonia Naz and other policemen. It specifically asked the DIG and DPO whether they had taken stock of the misdeeds of the SP investigation and if not what made them show such an indifference.

The senior policemen reportedly told the investigators that the accused did not keep them posted about the progress of investigations, but he used to ask his subordinate not to entertain any order issued to them directly by any senior officer.

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