KHANEWAL - A missing minor’s body was recovered in a filed on Saturday, triggering massive outrage by the locals. Protest broke out in Khanewal after reports that body of a four-year-old minor girl had been found in a field, stuffed in sack. The protestors blocked the Khanewal-Bahawalpur Road and Rohri - Khanewal Railways track.
Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has taken notice of the incident and has sought report from the Inspector General of Punjab Police. According to details a four-year-old Zaiba Nadeem resident of Basti Aziz Abad Khanewal, had gone missing three days ago, when she was playing in the street. Her parents looked for the girl but to no avail. Zaiba’s father Nadeem reported the matter to the local police.
He made a written complaint to the SHO of PS Kuhna Khanewal that the girl went outside to play and did not return home. He added that the family looked at all possible places but could not find her. Zaiba’s father told that on his written complaint police did not register FIR. SHO Kuhna Zafar asked them to find girl on their own. The police did not cooperate with the victim’s family in finding the missing girl. Thus the locals of the area and family of the missing girl started searching on their own.
On Saturday morning, uncle of the girl found a sack in the field, on opening it he found her own niece, who was abducted from Azizabad three days ago. This news spread like a wild fire. Locals of the area and family members of Zaiba gathered there and started a protest against this brutal act and on the negligence of the police. Zaiba’s father said that his daughter’s life could have been saved if the police had acted on time. These protestors blocked the National Highway and the railways track.
On the directives of Punjab IG, Regional Police Officer Multan visited the place from where the body of minor girl was found.
He also visited the house of the Zaiba. RPO Multan succeeded in convincing protesters and family members of Zaiba to end protest after lengthy negotiations.
On the request of Regional Police Officer Multan, protesters cleared the railways track and national highway. RPO told that he had suspended the SHO Kuhna and SDPO Sadder Khanewal on their severe negligence and held a departmental inquiry.
He further told that main objective of the police at this time was to find the perpetrator of crime.