Quake victim rape case: Arrest warrants for Pervaiz, Fazl, others

Dr Maqsood was prosecuted in 2005 on the charges of raping quake survivor Ajeeba, 19, who was brought to Mayo Hospital for treatment. The then government lodged a case against Dr Maqsood. However, no charge could be established in the court after the case was heard.

Ajeeba alleged in December 2005, in a written statement, that she had been raped by the surgeon treating her for injuries she had suffered during the quake. The doctor was arrested and brought to trial amid a great deal of publicity. During the period of his trial, Ajeeba, somewhat mysteriously, retracted the rape charges, maintaining she had been “tricked” into signing the statement by a newspaper reporter. She was also apparently whisked away from the hospital ward by a local cleric, who claimed Ajeeba was his close relative. She was produced in the court only after a delay of several days.

Police had arrested Dr Maqsood on the orders of then Punjab CM Ch Pervaiz Elahi who also suspended Mayo Hospital medical superintendent Dr Fayyaz Ranjha for “hiding facts”.

The then Punjab health minister Dr Tahir Ali Javed had ordered an additional inquiry into the incident.

Then CJ Supreme Court Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had also taken suo moto notice of the incident but later the girl denied before a magisterial court that Dr Maqsood had raped her.

Online adds: The leader of Opposition in National Assembly Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi has expressed his ignorance about being summoned by any additional session judge in Lahore.

While denying any knowledge about non-bailable arrest warrants by the court against him, he said he would look into the matter after he received any such summons.