By Hafiz ullah Storai Sherani
ISLAMABAD
Rawalpindi Police have formally registered a First Information Report (FIR) regarding a gang-rape of a 19-year-old woman – a mother of two. The legal action at the Rawat Police Station follows a reported incident that the complainant states took place approximately two months earlier, shortly before the start of Ramazan.
The incident as reported in the FIR
According to the complaint filed by the victim’s mother, on a morning roughly two months ago, at approximately 11:30 AM, the young woman boarded a passenger van to travel to Rawat Bazaar to buy clothes for her two small children.
The complainant said that the conductor diverted the vehicle toward Chak Beli Road instead of its intended destination.The FIR claims that the driver, identified as Sultan, along with a man named Aqeel and two unidentified individuals together raped the woman while the vehicle was in motion. Furthermore, the complainant alleges that the suspects filmed the act and subsequently used the video to send threats via WhatsApp to pressure the victim into remaining silent.
Two-month delay
The FIR provides context for the significant gap between the date of the incident and the formal police report on March 29. The complainant identifies several factors that contributed to this delay.
Initially, the report states that the victim’s husband asked her not to report the matter. Following this, the complainant alleges that a local jirga intervened. These informal mediators reportedly promised the family that the victim would receive necessary medical treatment if they agreed not to pursue a legal case.
According to the FIR, this promised medical care was never provided.
As the weeks passed and the victim’s health began to deteriorate significantly, the family chose to come forward and seek help from the authorities.
Official police response
Spokesperson of the Rawalpindi Police has issued an update regarding the ongoing investigation.
A formal case has been registered based on the mother’s application. Special police teams have been formed and are currently conducting raids to arrest the nominated suspects, Sultan and Aqeel, as well as their accomplices.
The police confirmed that the victim’s medical examination process is now underway to collect essential forensic evidence. The spokesperson stated that all individuals involved will be arrested and held accountable under the law.