LAHORE – Special anti-terror court on Monday announced its verdict in regards to the Kasur video scandal case and declared that the culprits serve their entire life behind the bars.
ATC Special Court’s Judge Chaudhry Mohammad Ilyas heard the case and announced verdict against Haseem Amir and Faizan Mehmood. Both the convicts were awarded life imprisonment and a fine of Rs 0.3 million each. Kasur police presented charge sheets against the two perpetrators namely Haseem and Faizan apprehended in regards to the case. The court made its verdict against case-256, announcing that the perpetrators be subjected to life imprisonment.
A total of 17 First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed about the case, however five of these FIRs were discarded on the basis of lack of evidence whereas decision is yet to be made regarding 10 of these FIRs. Last year, at least 280 children were filmed being sexually abused by a gang of 25 men who used the hundreds of videos they produced to blackmail the victim’s parents.
Most of the victims who are from Husain Khanwala village near Kasur are less than 14-years-old. Their families had also been blackmailed by the gang since 2009. The abusers allegedly tried to extort money from parents of victims, selling clips of the videos locally for 40 rupees each if they did not pay up.
A property dispute allegedly brought the issue to the surface. Activists working to fight child sex abuse in Pakistan said the problem was widespread but difficult to quantify because victims were often unwilling to speak out.
Powerful taboos, gaps in legislation and a lack of awareness continue to fuel a phenomenon that remains hidden, yet deeply embedded within society.
