File Photo. Asif Hassan—AFP
Kolai-Palas Police in Kohistan on Tuesday announced they had arrested three people suspected to have played a role in the murder of a young girl after an “apparently edited” video of her with a boy went viral online.
Announcing the arrests, Deputy Superintendent of Police Masood Khan said investigations were ongoing to apprehend everyone who had advised the girl’s family to kill her over the video. He said the suspects would all face legal proceedings, adding police had already been granted 7-day physical remand of the victim’s father by a magistrate. The uncles, identified as Abdul Qayyum and Mohammad Naseer, allegedly played a “key” role in the murder.
He further maintained that it was erroneous to claim a “grand Jirga” had ordered the girl’s murder, saying it was a family affair and everyone who played a role in the decision would be apprehended.
According to the DSP, police have also produced one of the young men who was seen in the video before a local magistrate and recorded his statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Local media reported the boy had claimed he had no idea who uploaded the video in question, or for what purpose.
Separately, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)’s Cybercrime wing is probing the video in a bid to verify the authenticity, origin, owner and operator of the account responsible for uploading it. Reportedly, the initial investigation has found that the video comprised photos uploaded on a single account.
On Sunday, a young girl was murdered in Kohistan and another rescued by police after a video went viral on social media showing them dancing with local boys.