CCPO Lahore Umar Sheikh last week once again stirred controversy by blaming the survivor of the Lahore-Sialkot motorway gang-rape for not seeking the permission of her husband before traveling.
A woman was reportedly gang-raped at Lahore-Sialkot Motorway in front of her children after her car ran out of fuel, earlier this month. The woman, along with her children, was traveling to Gujranwala.
CCPO Umar Sheikh must be given a crash course on how to speak in a civilised, 2021 manner, how to speak to subordinates, and how to comment on a rape case. https://t.co/tOSm9hIVrz
— Mehr Tarar (@MehrTarar) September 29, 2020
Ever since the incident was reported, CCPO has resorted to victim-blaming twice. Amid the investigation and manhunt of rapists, CCPO Sheikh cast blame on the victim for reportedly traveling at night through the desolated highway.
His remarks sparked a nationwide outcry and the public demanded his removal from the office. Owing to the uproar, Sheikh offered apologies for his statement. However, his latest comments have again spurred the rage of disgruntled citizens.
Read more: ‘Son of donkey’: CCPO Umar Sheikh in hot waters for abusing Punjab police officer
On Monday, Sheikh was summoned to the Senate Committee to provide a briefing on the progress of the case. During his briefing, CCPO Sheikh said, “In my view the victim had traveled late at night without her husband’s permission”.
It was reported that the Senate Committee scolded CCPO Sheikh and asked him to refrain from giving personal opinion and stick to the facts of the case.
Sheikh then claimed that he “had been told that the victim left late at night because she wanted to talk to her husband via video-call from home”. The committee asserted that it is not his duty to comment on the personal lives of people instead he is responsible to protect the people.
Read more: Motorway Rape Case: PML-N demands CCPO’s resignation
He informed the committee that Police had traced the culprits within 72-hours of the incident through DNA testing and geo-fencing. He, however, misquoted the name of the absconding suspect.
He named the absconding suspect as Babar Malik instead of his real name – Abid Ali. When reprimanded by committee member Ainee Marri, Sheikh tried to obfuscate by blaming the mistake to his old age and weak memory