NANKANA SAHIB: Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday visited the family of 13-year-old Muhammad Irfan, who was brutally punished by a landlady for ‘disobeying orders’.
Visiting their home in Macharwali village of Nankana Sahib, the chief minister expressed sympathy with the victim and his family, saying “the perpetrator will not be spared by the law".
Sharif lamented the role of the police, which had initially delayed registering an FIR over the issue, and said he will personally supervise the progress of the investigation now.
He also presented a compensation cheque to the victim’s family.
According to Irfan’s family, almost two weeks ago, Shafqat Bibi, who had employed Irfan at her house in Wahiwala village, had his hand chopped off as punishment after he reportedly refused to feed cattle.
The boy was immediately rushed to the hospital but doctors were unable to save his hand.
Irfan’s family said that they went to file a case but the police kept delaying it. An FIR was finally registered after 10 days on a court order, but by then Shafqat Bibi had already obtained pre-arrest bail.
On Wednesday, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar took suo motu notice of the incident after the incident news was reported in the media.
The CJP also directed the Punjab Inspector-General of Police to submit a report on the issue within the next 48 hours.