Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has vowed tougher KP child protection laws after the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in Haripur. He said those responsible would face exemplary punishment.
The girl went missing from outside her home in Haripur on August 10. Authorities recovered her body on August 24 from an unused well at a warehouse near her home, after information provided by one of four arrested suspects.
Afridi visited the girl’s family on Saturday and expressed his condolences to her father. He said the government would ensure that the suspects faced strict punishment, regardless of their ages.
The chief minister said the provincial Child Protection and Welfare Act would be made more stringent and renamed after the victim. He also assured the family that the provincial government would provide full support in pursuing justice.
Afridi described the crime as inhumane and directed the district administration and police to strengthen security measures. He also appealed to the judiciary not to provide relief to people accused of such crimes.
The chief minister said protecting children was a fundamental responsibility of the government. He stressed that authorities must strengthen their response so that citizens of all ages can remain safe from criminal threats.
According to PTI’s provincial chief whip Akbar Ayub Khan, the government also announced financial assistance and a government job for the girl’s father. A girls’ high school in Pathan Colony will be renamed after her, while a Rs2 billion Safe City camera project has been announced for Haripur.
