Minor girls abducted from Sadiqabad, sexually assaulted in Karachi

KARACHI: A minor girl was allegedly sexually assaulted in Karachi after being abducted from Sadiqabad in Punjab, police said on Monday.

According to police, two minor girls were found abandoned near the Shireen Jinnah Colony bus stop within the jurisdiction of Boat Basin police station late night. They were taken into custody and shifted to the police station for questioning.

During initial interrogation, the girls stated that they had been abducted from Sadiqabad by a woman who brought them to Karachi and allegedly sold them.

Police said that one of the girls fell ill at the station and was immediately shifted to the hospital through an Edhi ambulance. A medical examination later confirmed that one of the minors had been sexually assaulted.

Following the confirmation, police initiated legal proceedings and launched an investigation into the incident.

The victims included an 8-year-old girl and her 14-year-old sister. The elder girl is currently under treatment, while the younger child has been safely reunited with her family.

Sindh IG Ghulam Nabi Memon took notice of the incident and directed authorities to ensure full legal protection and assistance to the victims.

Member of the Sindh Assembly and Parliamentary Secretary for Minority Affairs, Rooma Mushtaq, visited the victim at the hospital and condemned the incident, stating that such acts of violence against children cannot be tolerated in any civilised society. She also assured full support to the affected family.

According to the victim’s statement, the girls had left their home to purchase medicine when an unidentified woman lured them and transported them to Karachi, where they were subjected to inhumane treatment. Initial reports suggest that two unidentified suspects were involved in the assault of the elder girl.

Earlier, in Gujranwala, a suspect in a child sexual assault case was killed during an alleged police encounter.

Read More: Child rape accused killed in police encounter in Gujranwala

According to a spokesperson for the district police, the suspect—identified as Arsalan alias Shani—was in police custody on physical remand in connection with the abduction and sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl.

The encounter took place within the jurisdiction of the Khiali police station, where the accused was being taken for investigation.

Police said the suspect attempted to escape, while his accomplices opened fire on the police party to help his escape.