DNA Test Results Help Capture Serial Rapist In Pakistan

Police officials in Karachi, the capital of the Pakistani province of Sindh on Tuesday arrested a serial rapist using DNA samples, during a raid they conducted in District Malir, Pakistan.

The alleged serial rapist was identified by police officials as Amjad Ali and the news of his arrest was announced by East Zone police chief Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Zulfiqar Larik during a press conference.

Apart from the police chief, Malir Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Adeel Chandio and Malir Investigations Superintendent of Police (SP) Abid Qaimkhani were also present at the press meet.

Authorities said Ali was ,so far, accused of being involved in at least five rape cases.

“DNA reports have confirmed his involvement in five cases of rape with minor girls. We are also awaiting the DNA reports of at least 20 more [children subjected to rape] and we suspect that the same rapist is involved in these cases,” Larik said.

According to a report in the Express Tribune, a major daily English-language newspaper based in Pakistan, a special team headed by Qaimkhani was first formed after authorities received multiple complaints regarding sexual assaults on minor girls in parts of District Malir over the past few years.

The five cases in relation to which Ali was arrested were all reportedly registered at different police stations of District Malir including Quaidabad, Shah Latif and Sukkun between 2015 and 2018 and the girls who were the victims of the incident were all aged between seven and nine years old.

Larik added there was a pattern to the suspect’s crime as he sexually assaulted minors only on Fridays and at specific locations. He was reportedly involved in child rape for the past five years, Larik said.

Qaimkhani who headed the operations of Ali’s capture said his team conducted DNA tests from the forensic department’s laboratory at the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, Pakistan.

“The DNA test reports confirmed that the same rapist was involved in all the five cases. We initiated our further investigations following the DNA test reports. We obtained CCTV footage and National Database and Registration Authority’s record and [also took help] from the victims and their parents,” he said.

Qaimkhani added that the police got Ali’s sketches made and his arrest was possible with the help of an informer. After his arrest, authorities sent his DNA sample to the laboratory where it was confirmed he was responsible for the five rapes that occurred.

Reports state Ali hails from Punjab and was working at a garment factory for the past five years.

During his arrest, officers said they recovered at least five mobile phones and 10 SIM cards from various companies.

Allah Dino Khowaja, Sindh Inspector-General of Police announced a PKR 500,000 ($7,665) reward for the police team that arrested the accused.

Further investigations in the case are still underway.