Spokesman Farhatullah Babar said Zardari had ordered authorities to apprehend those responsible — a near-impossible task in a zone from which the police and moderate tribal leaders have fled in fear.
Pakistan’s recently restored chief justice also opened an inquiry, saying the case represented “a serious violation” of the law and fundamental rights.
Pakistani Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, who had been removed by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf in part for pursuing human rights cases, ordered security officials to produce the victim in the Supreme Court in time for a hearing tomorrow.
US officials have criticized Pakistan for striking a series of usually short-lived peace deals with militants, arguing that they give extremists time to regroup and focus on launching cross-border attacks against US and NATO troops in Afghanistan.
They have expressed concern about the accord in Swat, but are also pressing Pakistan’s army to switch its focus to al-Qaeda strongholds closer to the Afghan border.
RSS