Leaders of the Tehreek-e-Tahafuz-e-Ayin-e-Pakistan (TTAP) Punjab on Wednesday demanded court-supervised protection of the victims’ evidence in the Lahore abduction and assault case after a court remanded the four principal accused to police custody for another five days.
Joint Statement Highlights Contradictions
In a joint statement, TTAP Punjab Information Secretary Shayan Bashir and Haqooq-e-Khalq Party General Secretary and TTAP Punjab Chief Organiser Ammar Ali Jan said the investigation must address what they described as a contradiction between the victims’ statements and the police’s version of events. According to the statement, the victims, in their statements recorded before a judicial magistrate, said they reached safety after the vehicle carrying them crashed and members of the public responded to their cries for help. It further alleged that the first police personnel they encountered attempted to take them onward to the airport.
Police Version Challenged
The TTAP leaders said the police leadership, however, has maintained that the victims were rescued promptly by police, adding that both versions could not be correct and that the investigation should determine which account was accurate. They further stated that the outcome of the investigation would test whether Punjab Police could investigate influential individuals in the same manner as ordinary citizens.
Allegations of High-Profile Involvement
The statement also referred to media reports identifying the main accused as a relative of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and alleged that the victims’ statements included claims of abduction, assault and a payment of $100,000 before their release.
Specific Demands for Court Oversight
The TTAP leaders called on the court to secure the victims’ testimony through protected, court-supervised video arrangements to safeguard the prosecution, identify all police officers involved in the initial response, and examine their conduct alongside the alleged crime. They said ensuring accountability in the investigation was essential for upholding the rule of law.
