Multiple gang-rape incidents in Punjab
Three women were subjected to sexual assault in three separate incidents of gang-rape in Punjab.
In one incident, a woman was gang-raped by four armed men during a burglary in front of her husband and children in their home in Dera Aslam Haral, Sargodha. According to the complainant, the rape survivor’s husband, the suspects broke into their home and assaulted his wife twice before absconding with Rs. 20,000 in cash and valuables.
While an FIR has been lodged against two suspects, the victim’s husband alleges that the police tried to have rape charges dropped from the complaint. Police however have denied the accusation, and insist an investigation has been launched into the case.
In the second incident, four armed men gang-raped a woman and stripped her of jewelry during a robbery at her home in Adda Sahowal, Okara on Sunday, September 20. The complainant, the woman’s husband, stated that the family was asleep in their courtyard when seven unidentified men invaded their home, forced the family into a room, and proceed to loot the residence. Four of the invaders gang-raped the woman and stripped her of her jewelry before escaping.
A case has been registered under sections 395 (punishment for dacoity) and 376 (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code. Seven teams have been constituted to investigate the incident and track the criminals using geo-location data, sketches, and footprint forensics.
In the third incident, a woman was raped by five individuals, Faiz Ahmend, Khalid Mehmood, Nazim, Rashid Ali, and Zafar Iqbal within Manga Mandi precinct in Lahore. According to the victim, she was abducted by Faiz Ahmed and taken to an unknown location where four others awaited. There, she was gang-raped and then later dumped on a roadside. Police have started a case will be registered after a medico-legal examination confirms sexual assault.
Man held for allegedly committing blasphemy in Charsadda
Charsadda police detained a man accused by locals of Shaheed Bazar in Prang tehsil of ridiculing the Prophet (PBUH) in public. According to the police, a brother of the accused had been killed by an unknown assailant some years back for the same accusations.