Punjab Police on Tuesday said third accused in the motorway gang-rape incident, namely Iqbal aka Bala Mistri, has been arrested from Chichawatni, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The arrest of Bala Mistri came on the information provided by another accused Shafqat. The main accused, Abid Ali, is still on large.

According to the police, Bala Mistri was using ten mobile phone SIMs on his CNIC. Lahore Police have now shifted the accused Bala Mistri to Lahore.

As per co-accused Shafqat’s initial statement, Bala Mistri was there at the spot for the robbery but he went back before the robbery and gang-rape occurred.

Punjab Police said two FIRs were lodged against the main accused Abid Ali and co-accused Shafqat in the Factory Area of Sheikhupura.

It is pertinent to mention here that Abid Ali is still on the run despite police teams are after him in Rajanpur and Bahawalnagar.

Earlier one of the accused Shafqat confessed his involvement in the horrific incident. Co-accused Waqarul Hassan named another person Shafqat who he believed was involved with the main accused Abid Ali Malhi in various criminal activities. The police have arrested Shafqat from Depalpur, a companion of the main accused Abid, Sunday night.

Heavy police have been deployed at Cantonment Court where Motorway incident co-accused will be produced before the Judicial Magistrate Tuesday.

Arrested co-accused Shafqat who has now confessed before the police shared startling revelations about the gang-rape. He said Abid called Shafqat and Bala Mistri and asked them to come to Lahore to carry out the robbery. Bala Mistri went back from halfway and later Shafqat and Abid Ali robbed and gang-raped the woman who was waiting for help after her car developed a fault on Lahore-Sialkot Motorway.

Co-accused Shafqat in his initial statement to the police said after the gang-rape incident at Motorway the next day he went to Depalpur while Abid Ali Malhi went to Mandi Bahauddin to meet his father. 

Culprit Shafqat said he had contacted Abid Ali three days ago. He said, “I and Abid Ali also tried to rape a woman during a robbery attempt in Sheikhupura a month ago but they could not do so due to the police’s timely action.”