Lahore (HRNW)- DIG Operations Faisal Kamran has said that the suspect in the foreign women kidnapping case, who is allegedly related to a senior government figure, is being treated like any other accused, with no special consideration being given during the investigation.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Faisal Kamran said the alleged kidnapping and rape case involving two foreign women is being investigated by the Lahore Police, as it does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Crime Control Department (CCD). He added that the Punjab Police’s specialized rape investigation cell is handling the case.
According to the DIG, the two foreign women arrived in Islamabad on June 26 and later traveled to Lahore on June 29. Around midnight on July 1, the Safe City Authority received information from a man identified as Carlos, who reported that his daughter had been kidnapped in Pakistan and that a ransom demand had been made.
Police immediately launched an investigation using phone records, vehicle registration details, travel history, and Safe City surveillance cameras. Raids were conducted in Shahdara, Defence, Sargodha, and other locations.
Faisal Kamran said that during the investigation, police identified a suspect, Muhammad Raza Dar, after tracing information from a residence where his family had previously lived. During the inquiry, it emerged that the suspect’s family was allegedly related to the Deputy Prime Minister. Police verified the information, obtained the suspect’s contact details from family members, and began tracking his location.
The DIG stated that senior police officials and the government were informed about the alleged connection. According to him, authorities instructed police that the suspect must be treated in the same manner as any other accused without any preferential treatment.
He further said investigators are also examining the possibility that the incident involved an organized group rather than a single suspect.
According to police, the suspect was reportedly driving the two women toward the airport when a struggle occurred near Bhatta Chowk. During the incident, the vehicle struck a roadside object, allowing the women to jump out and seek refuge at a nearby filtration facility, from where police safely recovered them.
Faisal Kamran explained that judicial authorization was required before conducting medical examinations of the women. Because the women had a scheduled flight the following morning, an SHO was sent to the Judicial Magistrate’s residence late at night to obtain the necessary orders, for which the DIG apologized.
He added that the Spanish and Netherlands embassies were contacted following the recovery of the women. The Spanish Embassy confirmed that one of the women is a citizen of Venezuela. After discussions with embassy officials, both women agreed to undergo medical examinations and later recorded their statements before a judicial magistrate under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
According to the DIG Operations, the embassies also requested the early repatriation of the women, while Lahore Police continue to investigate all aspects of the case.
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