" Chief Justice of Lahore High Court, Justice Aalia Neelum, on Thursday issued a major ruling regarding cases involving sexual assault of minor girls. She dismissed the appeal of convict Qaiser, who had raped and murdered a six-year-old girl, upholding his death sentence. In her remarks, Chief Justice Aalia Neelum stated that such criminals do not deserve any mercy, especially those who commit such heinous acts against innocent children.

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice Aalia Neelum and Justice Abhaher Gul issued a 20-page written judgment, authored by the Chief Justice herself. The judgment noted that “at the age of six, little girls play with dolls and are unaware of the materialistic world, while the convict, aged 32, was fully aware of the consequences of his gruesome act.” The court further observed that committing rape and then murdering a minor girl spreads terror and fear in society, shaking not only the conscience of the community but also that of the court.

According to details, Narowal police had registered a case against the convict in 2018. According to the victim’s father, he had sent his daughter to the convict’s house to fetch a pair of pliers, but she did not return. Later, the girl’s body was recovered from the convict’s house, and DNA and forensic reports confirmed his crime. The court ruled that the accused failed to prove his innocence; therefore, his appeal was dismissed, and the death sentence was upheld.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)