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| Pakistan child sex abuse: Seven arrested in Punjab | Pakistan child sex abuse: Seven arrested in Punjab |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Seven people have been arrested in eastern Pakistan on suspicion of involvement in a child sexual abuse and extortion scandal. | Seven people have been arrested in eastern Pakistan on suspicion of involvement in a child sexual abuse and extortion scandal. |
| The chief minister of Punjab province, Shahbaz Sharif, ordered a judicial inquiry into reports that hundreds of children had been abused. | The chief minister of Punjab province, Shahbaz Sharif, ordered a judicial inquiry into reports that hundreds of children had been abused. |
| Local media say a gang made videos showing the abuse of children, whose parents were then subject to blackmail. | Local media say a gang made videos showing the abuse of children, whose parents were then subject to blackmail. |
| The scandal centres on a village near the city of Kasur. | The scandal centres on a village near the city of Kasur. |
| Correspondents say many victims are afraid to report abuse, in a society which allows abusers to brag about their exploits but stigmatises their victims. | Correspondents say many victims are afraid to report abuse, in a society which allows abusers to brag about their exploits but stigmatises their victims. |
| Police say more arrests are expected. | Police say more arrests are expected. |
| Analysis by the BBC's Ilyas Khan in Islamabad | Analysis by the BBC's Ilyas Khan in Islamabad |
| Child sex abuse is widespread in parts of Pakistan, especially in the countryside. | Child sex abuse is widespread in parts of Pakistan, especially in the countryside. |
| According to one estimate, over 3,500 cases of child molestation were reported in 2014, of which 67% were reported from rural areas. | According to one estimate, over 3,500 cases of child molestation were reported in 2014, of which 67% were reported from rural areas. |
| Meanwhile, many have noticed that most of the clips being investigated date back to 2009-11, shortly after camera phones first became widely available, with few recent cases being reported. | |
| This has led some to suspect that the clips were reported to the police amid a local dispute. | This has led some to suspect that the clips were reported to the police amid a local dispute. |
| One boy told BBC Urdu the abuse began when he was 11. | One boy told BBC Urdu the abuse began when he was 11. |
| "They sexually abused me in front of secret cameras... they came back a week later and showed me the video, and said if I did not do what they wanted, they would show it to my friends and school colleagues." | "They sexually abused me in front of secret cameras... they came back a week later and showed me the video, and said if I did not do what they wanted, they would show it to my friends and school colleagues." |
| Another woman told the BBC her son had been molested and blackmailed for five years, and she had only recently learned about the abuse. | Another woman told the BBC her son had been molested and blackmailed for five years, and she had only recently learned about the abuse. |
| Media reports suggest that hundreds of videos have been made involving more than 280 children, mostly aged under 14. | Media reports suggest that hundreds of videos have been made involving more than 280 children, mostly aged under 14. |
| District police officer Rai Babar Saeed told BBC Urdu: "We have around 30 video clips of one incident showing six victims and seven people involved. We have arrested these seven. We are still trying to recover more videos." | District police officer Rai Babar Saeed told BBC Urdu: "We have around 30 video clips of one incident showing six victims and seven people involved. We have arrested these seven. We are still trying to recover more videos." |
| He added that there was "no political motive" behind the investigations, which he said were being conducted "on merit". | He added that there was "no political motive" behind the investigations, which he said were being conducted "on merit". |
| Last week, more than 20 people were injured as families of the alleged victims clashed with police in Kasur, accusing the authorities of ignoring their complaints. | Last week, more than 20 people were injured as families of the alleged victims clashed with police in Kasur, accusing the authorities of ignoring their complaints. |
| Saba Sadiq, the head of Punjab's child protection bureau, described the case as "the largest child abuse scandal in Pakistan's history", the AFP news agency reports. | Saba Sadiq, the head of Punjab's child protection bureau, described the case as "the largest child abuse scandal in Pakistan's history", the AFP news agency reports. |