Late military dictator Zia-ul Haq had enacted the law in 1979. Successive
governments - even the one headed by Benazir Bhutto - have paid lip service to
repealing the ordinance but have not done so.
Shah is alleged to have raped 15-year old Saira at the Shahzad town police
station here on the night of May 17-18.
A judicial probe into the incident held Shah guilty.
The police then conducted their own probe, which tallied with the earlier
inquiry, The News Wednesday quoted Superintendent of Police (Investigation
Wing) Ehsaan Sadiq as saying.
"After it was established during investigations conducted by the police
department that the accused cop, in addition to taking a bribe from the victim,
had also raped her in the police station, a new section was added in the first
information report. Now, the accused has also been booked under Sections 10 and
11 of the Hud Zina Ordinance," The News said.
Police picked up Saira and her friend Saima, 32, around 8.30 p.m. May 17 while
they were travelling in a car to a bus terminal. Two men who were in the car
were also detained. Saima was also molested while the two men bribed police
with Rs.29,000 before all four were released.
After the story broke, Shah was arrested while three officers of the Shahzad
Town police station - a deputy superintendent of police, an inspector, a
sub-inspector and a constable - were suspended.
President Pervez Musharraf had taken note of the case and ordered stern action
against the guilty.
"Considering the gravity of the allegations, immediate action has been taken to
ascertain the facts. In the light of the report of the inquiry committee,
further legal and administrative action would be initiated against the
culprits," an official statement issued at the time said.
But, as The News said Wednesday, the findings of the judicial enquiry "are
lying with the interior ministry and top police officers without any serious
attempt on the part of the government to implement the recommendations".
