LAHORE (MNN); Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran on Sunday said the Punjab government directed police to treat a suspect allegedly related to a senior federal minister “like any other criminal” in the high-profile case involving the alleged abduction and sexual assault of two foreign women.
Addressing a press conference, the DIG said the police’s foremost priority was the safe recovery of the two foreign nationals, who were allegedly abducted and assaulted. Five suspects were nominated in the case, while four, including a close relative of a senior political figure, have been arrested and placed on a five-day physical remand.
Kamran identified the prime suspect as Muhammad Raza Dar, stating that during raids in Sargodha and other locations, investigators discovered that the suspect’s family had previously lived in a rented house and was reportedly related to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
He said the police verified the family connection before tracing the suspect through information obtained from his relatives.
According to the DIG, the government was immediately informed about the suspect’s alleged political links, but authorities issued clear instructions that he must face the law without any preferential treatment.
“We received strict orders from the government to treat him no differently than any other criminal,” Kamran stated, adding that investigators were also examining the possibility that an organized criminal gang, rather than a lone individual, was behind the incident.
The DIG further revealed that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed investigators to ensure complete transparency and merit in the investigation and prosecution of the case.
Explaining the rescue operation, Kamran said the suspect deceived the victims by claiming he was taking them to the airport after allegedly receiving ransom money. However, when the vehicle headed towards Bhatta Chowk instead, the women realized something was wrong.
The situation changed when the suspect’s vehicle collided with another car, giving the victims an opportunity to escape. They ran to a nearby shop and sought help.
One of the women remained in contact with her father, Carlos, through WhatsApp voice messages during the ordeal. Carlos subsequently connected both women with the Defence Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) through a conference call, enabling police to determine their location.
Using Safe City surveillance and mobile phone tracking, police located the suspect and instructed him to surrender. He was later arrested by the SP Cantt team and shifted to the police station.
Rejecting allegations that the victims rescued themselves without police assistance, the DIG said police records showed an emergency call was received at 12:40pm, after which authorities coordinated with the victims’ family in Spain and successfully traced their whereabouts.
Kamran stressed that investigators carefully followed all legal procedures to prevent any loopholes that could benefit the accused. Medical examinations of the victims were conducted only after obtaining their consent through their respective embassies.
He added that the women were initially reluctant to record their statements because they were scheduled to leave Pakistan on July 2. Lahore Police arranged compensation for revised airline tickets, allowing them to complete legal formalities before they departed on July 3.
According to the DIG, both women appreciated the professionalism of Lahore Police before leaving Pakistan and even requested a Pakistani flag to take home as a gesture of goodwill.
DIG Apologises to Judiciary Over SHO’s Entry Into Magistrate’s Residence
During the briefing, DIG Kamran also addressed the controversy surrounding a police officer entering a magistrate’s official residence to record the victims’ statements under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
He described the incident as unfortunate and apologised to the judiciary while explaining that police had been unable to contact the duty magistrate despite repeated attempts. The SHO reportedly entered the unlocked residence after receiving no response to repeated knocks, unaware that the magistrate had recently shifted residences.
Although Kamran defended the urgency behind the police action, he acknowledged that the magistrate’s concerns were valid and confirmed that disciplinary action had been initiated against the SHO.
The press conference concluded amid sharp criticism from journalists over the incident, prompting the DIG to end the briefing.
