Farishta case: PM orders action against negligent police officials

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered action against police officials for being remiss in the alleged rape and murder case of a 10-year-old girl, Farishta, in Islamabad.

According to a statement issued from the Prime Minister office on Wednesday, the premier ordered booking concerned station house officer (SHO) and other relevant police officials.

“It is a failure of system that police staff forced the children of affected family to clean their offices. Departmental proceedings be initiated against the perpetrators and finalised expeditiously,” the statement said.

“Police claims that SOPs have been created for crimes against children after Kasur incident. The said SOPs were found to be inoperative / deficient in this case,” it observed, ordering the inspector general (IG) and deputy inspector general (DIG) to furnish an explanation,” the statement, a copy of which was sent to the interior secretary, read.

It added, “IG and DIG to explain as to why no system was in place to highlight child-related crimes and also explain the overall failure of system to affect speedy justice to the bereaved family.”

“The prime minister has further directed that daily updates on progress on the above directives and investigations be submitted for information of the prime minister,” the statement read.

The body of Farishta was found from the federal capital’s Shahzad Town, who had gone missing on May 15.

According to police, the girl was killed after being allegedly raped, with her body thrown in the forest afterwards.

The minor’s family said they had tried to file a missing person report with the police on May 15, but it took police until May 19 to register the FIR (First Information Report) and even then a proper search was not initiated.