KASUR: Investigators in the Chunian case in which police found the bodies of three children would conduct the DNA profiling to trace the perpetrators.

A Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) van would be used to conduct the DNA tests of the ‘suspects’ in the area where the crime occurred on Friday (today). The investigators would develop combined DNA Index System (CODIS) to compare the profile of the perpetrator.

Meanwhile, Zahid Nawaz Marwat on Thursday took charge as the Kasur DPO. The senior police command of the district was changed on Wednesday over delayed action in the case. Mr Marwat is also the head of the JIT to probe the case. He was earlier assigned the probe in Zainab case and the perpetrator was arrested with the help of the DNA profiling.

Siraj says govt has failed to protect people

Chunian SHO Muhammad Ashraf said geo-fencing would start on Friday at the place of the incident as well as the area where the children were kidnapped.

Police have collected census reports of the area in Chunian for the DNA profiling.

On Wednesday, police had arrested eight suspects and sent their samples for the DNA profiling.

Protests erupted in Chunian and Allahabad, with mobs ransacking a police station, a DSP’s office, a petrol pump and a hospital. Traders observed shutter-down strike and joined the protesters and the lawyers also boycotted court proceedings to express their solidarity with the bereaved families.

IGP: Inspector General of Police Arif Nawaz said Kasur would be made a safe city by installing CCTV cameras.

Speaking to reporters during his visit to Chunian where he visited the bereaved families and assured them of justice, he urged religious scholars, teachers and civil society to play their role by educating the masses to prevent such incidents. Protection of children was the responsibility of the parents as well as the state, he said.

JI: Jamaat-i-Islami Emir Sirajul Haq said the PTI government and institutions had failed to protect the lives and properties of the people.

He said he had pinned hopes on the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the Chunian incident.

Senator Haq visited the houses of the victims and while speaking to journalists, alleged that political figures backed criminals in Kasur where the number of such tragic incidents was more than that in any other part of the province.

He said Imran Khan should have visited Kasur on a priority to console the grieved families. At least Chief Minister Usman Buzdar should visit Chunian and stay there till the arrest of the perpetrators, he said.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2019