One of the suspects in the motorway gang-rape case, Waqarul Hassan, surrendered to Punjab police on Sunday, said Model Town Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Deputy Superintendent of Police Hasnain Haider.
A day earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar held a press conference alongside Law Minister Raja Basharat, Information Minister Fayyazul Hasan Chohan and Inspector General of Police Inam Ghani in which he announced that the government had been able to trace the “real culprits” in the case.
“I want to inform you all, [we] have been able to identify the real culprits in this tragic incident in less than 72 hours,” Buzdar told the news conference.
IGP Ghani said it was confirmed through scientific evidence that the primary suspect in the case was Abid Ali, a resident of Fort Abbas in Bahawalnagar district.
He also said police were “95-96 per cent” sure of the identity of Ali’s accomplice, 37-year-old Waqarul Hassan, whose presence at the crime scene was shown by telephone data. They were also able to obtain his address and CNIC number. The IGP said that police were ready to conduct raids at their houses and arrest them but “unfortunately the information had gone into the public domain” and the suspects had fled.
On Sunday, DSP Haider conducted a raid in Sheikhupura to arrest Hassan. Police were unable to arrest him but his friend assured them that Hassan would surrender soon.
Later in the day, Hassan and his friend approached the police and surrendered. Hassan said that he had nothing to do with the rape.
He told the police that he has a spare parts workshop and he was in Lahore on the day of the incident to purchase spare parts.
DSP Haider said that Hassan has been taken into custody as the investigation continues. According to officials, Hassan had been released in one of two robbery cases only 14 days ago.
