Police Make Arrests in the 'The Largest Child Abuse Scandal in Pakistan's History'

Police in Pakistan arrested five men on Monday in connection with a massive child sexual abuse ring, but activists accuse authorities of dragging their feet and shielding dozens more from prosecution.

"The police are protecting the criminals, they are supporting them and have provided them an opportunity to escape," Latif Ahmed Sara, a lawyer working with the victims, told the AFP. He alleges that a gang of 25 men in Punjab province sexually abused and filmed at least 280 children, and then used the videos to blackmail parents.

According to the mother of one of the victims, the abusers tried to extort money by threatening to sell the videos for 40 Pakistan rupees — around 40 cents.

"They made the video of my son in 2011 and we have been paying the blackmailers since then," the mother told the AFP.

The police in Punjab dismissed allegations that police are covering up the crime as "baseless."

District police chief Rai Baber Saeed told the AFP that the media and activists were exaggerating, and that no more than 30 children were involved.

"Police have 30 video clips of the scandal involving 15 people. Seven of them have been arrested while four or five are on pre-arrest bail and the rest are absconders," he told AFP.

Related: A Former British Prime Minister Is Being Investigated Over Child Sex Abuse Claims

Saeed claims the case is related to a village dispute over land rights and that villagers are manipulating abuse claims for economic gain.

But Saba Sadiq, the head of Punjab's Child Protection Bureau, has said the case is "the largest child abuse scandal in Pakistan's history."

The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan also is clamoring for a thorough investigation.

On Monday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif promised swift justice for the men involved, and Shahbaz Sharif, the chief minister of Punjab, ordered an independent judicial inquiry.

However, the Lahore High Court reportedly is refusing to conduct such an inquiry, saying that the arrests show the investigation is proceeding satisfactorily. As of Monday 12 men in total have been arrested in connection with the case.

"The judicial inquiry is required where facts are hidden, in this case police are already investigating and some of the accused have already been arrested," Arif Javed, a court spokesperson, told AFP.

The Punjab region where the abuse allegedly took place is a stronghold of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), and the incident has morphed into a national scandal. On Monday the Pakistani Senate passed a unanimous resolution condemning the abuse, and called for vigorous prosecution of those responsible.

Child abuse and sexual assault are serious issues in Pakistan. Mumtaz Hussain from Sahil, one of Pakistan's most prominent groups that works to combat child abuse, told AFP there were more than 3,500 registered cases of child abuse last year. That number most likely undercounts the problem, and he estimated that as many of 10,000 cases may have occurred.

Watch the VICE News documentary Sexual Violence in Egypt: