Pak man held for sexually abusing over 30 girls

A 45-year-old man has been arrested in Lahore for sexually abusing at least 30 girls, mostly minors, and filming the victims after luring them either through candies or money, Pakistani officials said.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested the child pornographer, Imdad Ali, from Lahore's low-income area Badami Bagh area last week and obtained his five-day physical remand for interrogation.

The investigators have detected more than 30 porn clips of minor girls from the suspect's cellphone.

"The video clips of 30 or so girls, mostly minors, have so far been retrieved from the mobile phone of the suspect. In these clips, he appears forcing the girls into sexual acts," FIA Punjab cyber crime wing Deputy Director Chaudhry Sarfraz told PTI.

He said the FIA was spurred into action after a video clip of the suspect with a child had gone viral on social media. He said it took the FIA three months to track the suspect down.

"We have sent the suspect's mobile phone for forensic examination and booked him under the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (Peca). The FIA has become complainant in this case on behalf of the state after none of the identified victim girls' families showed a willingness to file a complaint against the suspect."

Sarfraz further said the suspect is not a part of any pornography ring (involved in selling material online) as he used to film his victims for his 'own consumption,' being a pervert.

The suspect, a spurious engine oil dealer, has confessed to committing the crime. He also took the team to a nearby house he owned where he would take minor girls (mostly of the nearby areas) after luring them either through "candies or money."

According to the cybercrime law, a child pornographer shall be punished with imprisonment for a term of up to seven years or with a fine of up to Rs 50 lakh or both.

The FIA Punjab in 2017-18 has arrested four child pornographers in different areas of the province.

Last year, the rape and murder of a minor girl in nearby Kasur city sparked outrage and protests across Pakistan. The 24-year-old suspect, who was involved in at least nine incidents of rape-cum-murder of minors, was given the death penalty by an anti-terrorism court.