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ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry expressed his displeasure over the progress of the Sonia Naz rape case submitted by the Punjab police and observed that if the Supreme Court could summon the prime minister, it can also summon the Punjab chief minister.
He was heading a three-member bench over a suo motu case of 2005 on Friday. The bench reprimanded the Punjab police officials for changing their stances over the whereabouts of the accused (retired and serving officers) involved in the said rape case.
The Chief Justice expressed his astonishment that former Superintendent of Police Faisalabad Ahmed Raza Tahir, against whom adverse findings were made in a judicial inquiry report, had been posted as Regional Police Officer (RPO) Lahore.
Taking up the matter of appointment of Tahir Raza, the bench addressing Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Police Aslam Tareen said “It is an example of good governance of your province. He has been made RPO to confront the judiciary.”
The AIG apprised the bench that Abdullah Khalid former SP and the main accused, was alive and absconding but later said that he was living in Sheikhupura after retirement.
Justice Tariq Parvez said that on previous hearing, the officials had told that he had died.
Justice Khilji Arif Hussain, expressing his displeasure, questioned how it was possible that a person had been drawing his pension and was absconding?
The bench in its order observed that prima facie, despite the involvement of culprits as identified in an inquiry report of Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, no action had been taken so far.
The bench directed IGP Punjab to examine all cases and the report submitted by Zafar Iqbal Qureshi and proceed against those responsible without being influenced by the current judicial proceedings.
He was ordered to explain as to why an appeal against acquittal of accused was not filed in the High Court. The bench also warned the police authorities against any harassment to Sonia Naz.
Sonia Naz was produced by the police authorities under the Court's directive who stated that due to immense threats and pressures from the accused, she could not appear before the court which gave a one sided decision in her absence.
She said that she had moved an application against acquittal of the accused before the Lahore High Court nearly two years back, but it was not taken up.
According to media reports on May 3, 2005, SP Khalid Abdullah and Inspector Jamshed Chishti alongwith two police constables had abducted Sonia Naz from her home in Johar Town and raped her.
The accused were arrested in October, 2005 after Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, took suo motu notice of the case, directing the police to arrest the accused.
But in 2007, an additional district and sessions judge in Lahore had acquitted suspended SP Abdullah and Inspector Jamshed Chishti of charges of kidnapping and raping Sonia Naz.
