State to pursue Islamabad couple harassment case

ISLAMABAD: A day after the female victim in the Islamabad couple harassment case retracted her statement against the accused, the government decided on Wednesday to pursue the case itself in court.

The decision to this effect was reached during a meeting presided over by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Dr Farogh Naseem. Parliamentary Secretary Law Maleeka Bokhari and the Islamabad inspector general of police (IGP) were in attendance in the meeting.

Also Read: Girl retracts statement, refuses to identify accused

Sources privy to the meeting told ARY News that incriminating evidence is available against the accused. The meeting decided that the perpetrators of such a crime should be punished as per the law.

Ms Bokhari tweeted, “The State will pursue prosecution in the Usman Mirza case irrespective of recent developments relating to victim’s testimony.Irrefutable video & forensic evidence on record- anyone harrassing & stripping a woman must face full force of the law.”

Meeting held at @MoLawJusticeof1
The State will pursue prosecution in the Usman Mirza case irrespective of recent developments relating to victim’s testimony.Irrefutable video & forensic evidence on record- anyone harrassing & stripping a woman must face full force of the law. pic.twitter.com/SHRMCzhXk1

— Maleeka Bokhari (@MalBokhari) January 12, 2022

On Tuesday, the female victim in the Islamabad couple harassment and torture case retracted her statement and told the trial court that she didn’t want to pursue the case.

Also Read: Islamabad couple torture case: Usman Mirza, others indicted

The woman appeared before the court and refused to identify the suspects. During cross-examination, she told the judge that she did not know any of the accused and did not want to pursue the case.

A harrowing video of a man sexually harassing and torturing a couple in an Islamabad neighbourhood went viral on social media in July, igniting widespread outrage online with a hashtag calling for his arrest began trending on Twitter.

Swinging into action, Islamabad police arrested the prime suspect named Usman Mirza, and his accomplices.