ISLAMABAD: The government came under fire in the National Assembly on Monday over the Motorway gang-rape incident with opposition leader in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif accusing the government of appointing incompetent officials, which had led to a surge in crimes.
Initiating a debate on the motorway gang-rape incident, he said that "when the entire nation was grief-stricken, the government was involved in discussing under whose jurisdiction the motorway falls, which is quite shameful".
"The entire world has never witnessed such a shameful incident before where a police officer was questioning as to why the woman [who was raped] was taking a particular route and not another," said Shahbaz, referring to the CCPO Lahore, Umar Sheikh's comments that sparked anger and condemnation from various quarters.
Shahbaz criticised the government, saying that it had stood by the CCPO Lahore despite his controversial statement against the rape victim.
He recalled Prime Minister Imran Khan for "doing politics" on Zainab's rape-and-murder case two years ago but "remaining silent" on the motorway case.
"It is the style of this prime minister that he remains silent whenever the nation feels unsafe," he said, wondering why the premier had not spoken yet on the tragedy.
The PML-N president demanded to know why police officials were not deployed on the motorway, when the IG Punjab had written to the government in July and asked for more security there.
"Just like this government has completely failed on every front since the past two-and-a-half years, its failure in upholding law and order is written on the wall," he said.
Shahbaz mentioned that the motorway was made during former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's tenure, adding that the "entire credit" went to the PML-N and its team for building the road.
Before concluding his speech, Shahbaz again criticised the prime minister for not actively speaking out against the rape incident.
"The prime minister does not care. He is sitting on top [only worrying about] how the government can push the opposition into a corner," he said.
He demanded why the government had appointed a "notorious" police officer to the post of CCPO Lahore.
Amid full-throated "shame on you" slogans from the female opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Shahzad Akbar "boasted" of rounding up one of the three accused in the gruesome gang rape incident within a short span of two days.
Winding up a debate on a motion, he said that it was collective responsibility - whether executive, law enforcement or the parliament - we must not shy away from our responsibilities in nabbing these kinds of people involved in heinous crimes.
He said that the provincial government of Punjab arrested one of the three accused in less than 72 hours by using scientific methods, while police teams were working round the clock to apprehend the other accused.
"Shafqat Ali son of Allah Dita who is one of the three accused has been taken into custody yesterday [Sunday]. He has confessed to the crime," he declared.
He continued that one of the three suspects named Abid Mali was still at large and the police teams would also round him up soon.
Responding to opposition protest, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), which accused the government of mismanaging the case, Shahzad said that 'the party which talks tall today, must remember that its pain is not because of this incident, it is due to a new police chief he has taken them heads on'.
"We need to know whether the issue is of human nature or of petty politics, and politics on this tragic issue is quite unfortunate as people's elected representatives are misusing this august house for petty politics," he regretted.
He also reminded the PML-N lawmakers, saying "the way these people [PML-N] switched off the microphone of Zainab's father and kept smiling during the presser is still alive in our minds".
Earlier, the lawmakers discussed the recent incident of gang-rape of a woman on the Lahore-Sialkot motorway and other such incidents across the country.
Federal Minister for Communications and Federal Minister for Postal Services Murad Saeed, responded to Shahbaz's comments by saying that it was disappointing to see how the debate was focused on who had built the motorway instead of providing relief to the rape victim.
"Opposition parties are demanding that Murad Saeed resign over the motorway rape case. The other debate that is focusing on who made the DNA lab where the tests are being conducted," he said, expressing disappointment at the opposition for not addressing broader issues with regard to women's safety.
"This incident did not take place at the motorway," he said.
"However, I admit I am responsible for it. Being a man, I am responsible for this tragedy. As a member of this parliament, I am responsible for providing hope to the people," he added.
He accused the opposition of not focusing on the debate to make the country's streets safer for women and not debating on how to deter such crimes in the future.
Saeed said that the opposition was more focused on blaming the government over petty issues.
PPP MNA Qadir Patel also called for exemplary punishment to the accused besides demanding resignation of Murad Saeed, the minister for communications, as he "failed" to ensure security on the motorway.
Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari said a woman should be respected and given all the due rights entitled to men.
She said women were equal citizens and stressed the need to change the mentality of men.
She termed the CCPO Lahore's statement as unacceptable, and said more women should be employed in the police force.
In his remarks, the chair asked the lawmakers to think about public hanging as no way was left to end such kind of crime.
He said rapists and anti-social elements should be dealt with an iron hand.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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