Multiple cases of gang rape, sexual abuse shame Pakistan

Multiple cases of gang rape of teenage girls and boys are being reported from different parts of Pakistan, involving not just miscreants but also police officers who have been found guilty of gang-raping, raping and sexually assaulting minors.

In the latest horrific case, a police officer, along with his friend, gang-raped a teenage student who had gone to the police station to plead early release of her father.

The tragic incident occurred in Punjab province's Kot Momin city, where local police officers had arrested the father of a minor in a fake case. The police officer advised the teenager, studying in Class 10, to come to the Kot Momin police station and prove her father's innocence.

As per details in the First Investigation Report (FIR), the girl said that she was kidnapped in a car by the Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) along with his friend while on her way to the police station. She was taken to a house in Nazimabad area of Kot Momin city and gang-raped at gunpoint.

Later, as her medical condition became worse, the girl was dumped in front of her aunt's house at 2 am.

She also alleged that after the entire episode was highlighted by the local media leading to the arrest of the two suspects, the local police is now threatening her father to withdraw it or else face consequences, including the possibility of a fake case registered against the family.

Involvement of police officials in rape and gang rape incidents is not new in Pakistan.

Recently, a police officer of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police was arrested for sexually abusing and raping a minor boy, who was in his custody in another fake case.

The shocking incidents, often also involving brutal violence, continue to grab headlines.

Last week, in a gory reminder of horrendous Lahore motorway incident of 2020, a teenage girl was gang-raped in front of her family by roadside robbers near the famous Pakpattan city of Punjab province.

The incident occurred near village Malik Rahmoo in the Pakpattan district - an area more famous for its historic Sufi Islamic shrines.

The incident took place when a resident of Bahawalnagar was returning home along with his wife, a son and a minor daughter, a sister and a 17-year-old niece.

Post midnight, their car was intercepted by four armed suspects who first robbed all passengers and then off-loaded women. The teenage girl was then taken to the roadside maize fields and gang-raped as the family was held hostage.

The entire incident lasted more than 50 minutes, including at least 30 minutes of brutal torture and gang rape.

It reminded many of the 2020 motorway gang rape incident, when a French woman, whose car had run out of petrol near Lahore, was robbed and then gang raped by two men in front of her children.

The tragic and traumatising incidents continue to tarnish the image of Pakistan.

Incidentally, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, daughter of former Premier Nawaz Sharif, is often seen advocating women's education and empowerment during her public speeches.