Pakistan court orders FIR against Cricketer Babar Azam for harassing & blackmailing woman

A Pakistan court on Thursday ordered the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to register an FIR against Pakistan cricketer Babar Azam for allegedly blackmailing and harassing Hamiza Mukthar. Hamiza Mukhtar had earlier accused the Pakistani cricketer of having sexual relations with her on the pretext of marrying her and had lodged a complaint with the FIA after two unknown persons threatened her for filing a case against Babar Azam. An additional district and sessions judge, on Thursday, asked FIA to register an FIR on Babar Azam within the stipulated time and following the legal formalities. 

As per reports, FIA's inquiry revealed that the two numbers that Mukhtar had received calls from belonged to Babar Azam and identified the two women as Maryam Ahmed and Salemi Bibi. While Salemi Bibi hasn't showed up at court despite being served notices thrice, Maryam had claimed she did not know the complainant and has not appeared at the court despite promising to surrender her phone earlier in January. Babar Azam is also yet to make an appearance at the court after his brother Faisal attended the court last on January 18. 

Court had ordered FIR against Babar Azam in January

A court in Lahore had ordered the police to register an FIR against Babar Azam and file a case against him on a sexual exploitation complaint earlier in January. The complainant, Hamiza Mukhtar from Lahore, has alleged that the cricketer had sexually exploited her, forced her to have an abortion and made false promises of marriage. The petitioner annexed her medical documents as evidence.

As per a PTI report, the additional sessions judge, Noman Muhammad Naeem, after hearing arguments of the lawyers of both the sides, had directed the SHO of Naseerabad police station to immediately register the FIR against Babar. The judge had remarked that the allegations were disturbing and serious to warrant a full investigation. Hamiza later had confirmed that the FIR has been lodged at the Naseerabad police station. Earlier, another additional sessions judge, Abid Raza had ordered Babar and his family not to harass Hamiza, who had alleged that she was getting threat calls to withdraw the case. The woman had alleged that when she tried to register an FIR against the cricketer at the Naseerabad Police Station, Babar had forced her to withdraw the application on marriage re-assurance. 

In December 2020, Babar Azam had alleged that the woman claiming to be the victim had been blackmailing him and was demanding Rs 10 million to withdraw her accusations of fraud and harassment. The Pakistan skipper's legal counsel argued that the woman resorted to delaying tactics to prolong the trial. The victim had alleged that Babar Azam had exploited her on several occasions since 2010 before making his way into the country's national team, as per reports in Pakistan media.

Babar Azam breaches COVID-19 protocols

As per reports, Pakistan skipper Babar Azam has allegedly breached COVID-19 protocols. The dynamic batsman recently underwent a COVID-19 test at the National High-Performance Centre post which he went to meet the DG of the Pakistan Sports Board. As per The Express Tribune’s journalist Zaid Hassan, Babar Azam was supposed to join the Pakistan team's bio-security bubble on Thursday, March 18 but he breached the bio-secure protocols by meeting DG of Pakistan Sports Board on Wednesday, March 17. 

Image credits: AP