A Lahore court on Monday remanded three more suspects into police custody for five days in connection with the alleged abduction and rape of two foreign women. Additional Sessions Judge Abdul Qadoos granted the physical remand of Rizwan, Nawaz, and Nasir after police presented them in court and requested further investigation time.
Police Rescue and Initial Arrests
Police rescued the two foreign women within hours of receiving an emergency complaint on July 1, arrested four suspects, and launched an investigation into kidnapping, ransom demands, and sexual assault. On July 3, Judicial Magistrate Azhar Mahmood granted a five-day physical remand of the first four suspects: Raza Dar, Hassan Raza, Sajid Ali, and Sikandar Khan.
During Monday's hearing, police informed the court that a criminal case had already been registered against the accused and that their custody was necessary to complete the investigation. The judge granted the request, remanding all three suspects to police custody for five days.
Pre-Arrest Bail for SHO
Additional Sessions Judge Abdul Qadoos also granted interim pre-arrest bail to Defence-C Station House Officer (SHO) Faryad Ali until July 10 in a separate case for allegedly threatening a judicial magistrate during proceedings. The court restrained police from arresting the SHO until the next hearing and directed Mustafa Abad police to respond. The court ordered the accused to join the investigation by appearing before the investigating officer.
According to the prosecution, the case against SHO Faryad Ali was registered after he visited the residence of a judicial magistrate and allegedly threatened him during the process of the high-profile abduction and rape case. An FIR was lodged at Mustafa Abad police station over the alleged intimidation. While granting interim relief, the court made it clear that the accused must cooperate with the investigation in accordance with the law.
Political Links and Investigation
One of the suspects is reportedly linked to an influential political figure. Lahore Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Faisal Kamran assured on Sunday that the suspect, reportedly linked to a senior government minister, will not be treated differently from any other criminal in the investigation. He said police received strict instructions from the government to ensure equal treatment.
Kamran stated that the two foreign women arrived in Islamabad on June 26 before traveling to Lahore on June 29. Around midnight on July 1, the Safe City Authority received information from a man named Carlos, who reported that his daughter had been abducted in Pakistan and that he had received a ransom demand. Police launched an investigation using phone numbers, vehicle registration details, travel records, and Safe City camera footage, conducting raids in Shahdara, Defence, Sargodha, and other areas.
Recovery and Medical Examination
Kamran said investigators traced the family tree of a suspect and carried out raids. During one raid, residents informed police that the suspect's family had previously lived there as tenants and was believed to have links with the deputy prime minister. The suspect was later identified as Mohammad Raza Dar. Police verified the information, obtained his phone number, and began tracing his location.
The DIG said investigators are also examining the possibility that a gang, rather than a single individual, was involved. According to Kamran, the suspect was driving the two women to the airport when an altercation broke out inside the vehicle near Bhatta Chowk. During the scuffle, the vehicle collided with an object, after which the women jumped out and sought refuge at a nearby filtration plant, from where police recovered them safely.
Kamran said judicial magistrates' orders were required before the women's medical examination could be conducted. As the magistrate was not on duty and the women were scheduled to leave Pakistan the following morning, a station house officer was sent to the magistrate's residence late at night to obtain the necessary orders. The DIG apologized for that.
Embassy Involvement and Repatriation
Police contacted the embassies of Spain and the Netherlands after recovering the women. The Spanish embassy informed investigators that one of the women was a Venezuelan national. Following consultations with the embassies, the women agreed to undergo medical examinations and later consented to recording their statements before a magistrate under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Kamran said the embassies requested that the women be repatriated at the earliest, adding that police were continuing to investigate all aspects of the case.
