Several boys and girls raped in Pak's Punjab; CM orders probe

Lahore, Jul 8: A large number of young boys and girls have been allegedly raped by a "gang" in a Pakistani village bordering India, prompting Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to order a probe into the scandal.

Police have registered criminal cases against 15 suspects of a "gang" and arrested three of them from Ganda Singh village of Kasur district in Pakistan's Punjab province.

The police registered three more FIRs yesterday after a large number of villagers surrounded the houses of the suspects and threatened to torch them. "We will soon arrest the other accused. We have recovered some evidence.

However the total picture will be clear once the investigation is complete," Regional Police Officer Sahibzada Shahzad Sultan said.

According to the FIRs, the influential suspects used to record videos while sodomising young boys and raping girls. They would also extort millions of rupees as well as gold jewellery from villagers.

"The entire chaks of Ganda Singh were aware of the offence but the villagers kept silence for years because of the fear and blackmail of the accused," the officer said.

A complainant said the suspects had victimised hundreds of boys and girls and exploited them. Punjab Chief Minister yesterday ordered Sultan to submit a preliminary report to him within 24 hours.

PTI