Co-accused Waqar names another suspect in Motorway gang-rape case

In the latest development in the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway gang-rape case, co-accused Waqarul Hassan named another person Shafqat who he believed involved with the main accused Abdil Ali Malhi in various criminal activities, 24NewsHD TV channel reported.

Waqarul Hassan said Shafqat is also a resident of Bahawalnagar and a friend of main accused Abid Ali. The CIA Police has sent several teams to Bahawalnagar, Lahore and Sheikhupura to arrest Shafqat as well.

Police said Waqar was not found involved in the incident in the preliminary investigation, however, the final decision will be made after the DNA report.

The TV channel quoting its sources said that brother-in-law and a relative of main accused Abid were also taken into the custody.

Earlier on Sunday Lahore Police have arrested co-accused Waqar in Lahore-Sialkot Motorway gang-rape incident after he surrendered before them.

Co-accused Waqar, who is a resident of Sheikhupura, himself surrendered to CIA Model Town office and denied that he had committed the crime. The main accused, Abid Ali, is still at large.

Waqar told police he had nothing to do with Motorway gang-rape incident as he has himself appeared before the police.

He said: "I have two mobile SIMs registered under my name. The phone number with which the police traced him was being used by one of his relatives."

After his refusal to admit the crime, the police have decided to carry out Waqar's DNA test and initiated the process in this regard and moved him to an unknown place.

The TV channel reported Waqar along with main accused Abid was involved in the Lahore Motorway gang-rape case that attracted widespread condemnation from all walks of life.

On the other hand, the main accused Abid is still on the run and a number of police teams are hunting round the clock.

Abid has been involved in crimes like theft, robbery, murder and rape in the past, according to people of his own village.

Talking to a team of 24NewsHD TV that visited Abid Ali’s village to ascertain facts about him, people of his native village, Chak-260 HR in Fort Abbas Tehsil, said that victims in most cases had reconciled with Abid Ali due to the fear factor.

Abid, son of Akbar Ali, was named in a case (13/264) registered in Fort Abbas Police Station. Besides Abdi Ali, his four accomplices were also named in this case. In this case, Abid Ali and his accomplices had allegedly raped a woman and her daughter in front of their family members.

On Saturday, Aurat marchers took out rallies and staged protest demonstrations in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad to press for their demands seeking justice for rape victims and urged authorities to remove the Lahore CCPO for his indecent and inappropriate statements that blamed the victim instead of criminals for the rape incident.

Waqar’s brother-in-law Abbas surrenders

Abbas, brother in law of Waqarul Hassan, co-accused in Lahore-Sialkot Motorway has surrendered himself to the Police, 24NewsHD TV channel reported. Abbas has surrendered himself to Sheikhupura Police. Abbas was using a mobile phone SIM issued on the CNIC of co-accused in gang-rape Waqarul Hassan.