October 24, 2025
By Iqra Manzoor
LAHORE
A woman was allegedly raped by two men in an apartment at Islamabad’s Centaurus Mall within the jurisdiction of the Margalla Police Station.
According to the police, the victim was lured to Flat No. 606, Tower A, by two suspects, identified as Faisal Jalal and Syed Hafeezullah, under the pretext of an employment opportunity. When she arrived, the suspects allegedly sexually assaulted her and recorded a video of the incident.
However the woman managed to call the police helpline 15 to report the crime. Acting on her complaint, Duty Officer Assistant Sub-Inspector Khalid and Station House Officer Saleem Raza reached the scene, arrested both suspects, and shifted them to the Margalla Police Station. According to the SHO, the initial medical report confirmed that the woman had been sexually assaulted.
The FIR states that when the woman resisted, the suspects physically attacked her. In an attempt to escape, she locked herself in a room, but the men broke down the door and continued the assault. The FIR further reveals that the suspects threatened the woman with dire consequences if she approached the police or pursued legal action.
Police confirmed that both accused have been booked under Section 375-A of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), which defines rape as sexual intercourse committed against a person’s will, without consent, or through coercion.
Both accused were presented before the District and Sessions Court, Islamabad, where they confessed to their crime. The court granted the police a three-day physical remand of the accused.
A pattern of exploitation
Reported data reveals that from January 1, 2021, to June 20, 2025, at least 567 rape and assault cases have been registered in Islamabad, leading to the arrest of 625 suspects. Out of these cases, 485 have been referred to court, 80 resulted in convictions, and 23 in acquittals. Currently, 406 cases remain under court consideration, while 29 are still under investigation.
Disturbingly, 200 of these cases involve children — including 93 boys and 108 girls — highlighting the scale of sexual violence and exploitation across age groups.
Experts demand regulation and prevention
Speaking to Voicepk, Aima Mehmood, President of the Working Women Organization (WWO), said that such cases were not new but have increased in frequency, particularly through online job offers and digital platforms.
“Such cases are not new but have become more visible through online job offers and digital platforms. It’s the government’s responsibility to verify institutions or individuals advertising any kind of job opportunity,” Aima said.
She emphasized the need for strict registration and verification mechanisms for organizations offering employment opportunities.
“As the government has directed NGOs to be registered to operate legally, the same should apply to all entities posting job offers. The state must ensure that these institutions are legitimate,” she added.
Poverty and lack of prevention
Aima highlighted poverty as one of the root causes driving women into vulnerable situations.
“When the state fails to provide decent employment, people, especially women, become easy targets. Prevention mechanisms are almost non-existent. Creating a gender cell isn’t enough; there must be robust measures for workplace safety and youth protection,” she said.
She further called for an online monitoring system to prevent fraudulent job offers and digital exploitation.
“The state can monitor tweets and arrest people over social media posts, but when it comes to the safety of our youth and women, there’s silence. We need awareness campaigns and policies and proper regulatory systems focused on people’s safety rather than neglecting them until after the damage is done,” Aima urged.
Police and Prevention: Awareness as the First Line of Defense
ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi emphasized that prevention begins with awareness, both at the individual and institutional levels.
Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), told Voicepk that awareness and prevention are critical to stopping such crimes before they happen.
“First, social media platforms should be verified. When it comes to police work in such incidents, awareness leads to prevention,” Naqvi said. “The police should be actively running awareness campaigns so people — especially women — can identify frauds before becoming victims.”
She explained that such scams usually fall into three categories:
“Either the perpetrator takes money from you, or your documents to blackmail you later — or, in the worst-case scenario, it leads to sexual assault, like in this case.”
Naqvi outlined simple but vital safety steps for women to protect themselves:
“If there’s any job offer, a woman should never go alone to meet a stranger. Always take a family member or someone trustworthy. Meetings should only be held in public places. If she feels unsafe or trapped, she must immediately call 15 or use the police mobile app — it includes a live location feature and a red alert button that directly connects to the police in emergencies.”
She also emphasized the additional vulnerabilities of persons with disabilities:
“Specially-abled people face greater risks, so they must never go alone to meet anyone they don’t know well.”
Naqvi further explained the procedure women should follow if an assault occurs, to ensure timely justice:
“Call 15 or go to the nearest police station immediately and don’t change clothes. Register the FIR — gender cells, Victim Support Officers, and women police staff are available to assist. Medical examination will be arranged after the FIR is registered.”
Highlighting the importance of awareness as prevention, Naqvi stressed that both police and digital authorities must play a collaborative role:
“We should definitely start talking about this more openly. If we talk about the role of NCCIA (National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency), they can help through awareness — even small awareness videos on digital platforms can make a huge difference. This is where their role in prevention begins. They can collaborate with the police to run coordinated awareness campaigns.”
On whether NCCIA and other authorities could form a joint team or committee to verify online companies and job advertisements, Naqvi said,
“This can also be done, but it falls under policy-making — and that’s where government leadership must step in.”
Victim support and institutional responsibility
Zanaya Chaudhry, a Victim Support Officer, emphasized the need for stronger regulation and continuous monitoring.
“There should be a system that ensures companies offering jobs are registered and checked regularly to catch such frauds early,” she said. “Policies need to be stricter, and courts must give proper punishments to restore trust in the justice system. Only then will victims feel empowered to speak up.”
This pattern of digital exploitation underscores a harsh reality: while Pakistan’s legal framework has evolved, the gap between policy, prevention, and enforcement remains wide. Bridging that gap — through awareness, verified employment systems, and inter-agency collaboration — is crucial to ensure safety and justice for women and vulnerable individuals across Pakistan.