Woman ‘raped’ in Faisalabad

Victim was alone in the house when accused barged in

FAISALABAD: A woman was allegedly sexually assaulted in Diji Kot police limits, Faisalabad on Monday.

A police official told Express News that victim’s brother SA*, a resident of Chak No 249-RB, submitted a complaint. He stated that his sister, S*, was alone in the house when Ahmed, Naveed and Farhat barged in and raped her at gun point.

He added when the victim raised a hue and cry, the culprits left the victim in a semi-naked state and fled the scene. The police shifted the woman to the hospital for treatment and medical tests.

A case was registered against the suspects under Section 376 and raids were conducted to arrest them. Further investigations are under way.

Rape cases in Pakistan are increasing and yet the victims face discrimination stemming from stereotypes and a hostile social system.

In 2016, the country was ranked 10th in the world with respect to the frequency of rape. In 2017, Pakistan stood 6th, according to a fact sheet compiled by the Pakistani Nari Tehreek (PNT), which has more than 100 women’s rights organisations as its members.

Earlier, a report released by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) stated that incidents of rape had been doubling every year since 2014. It said 370 rape incidents were reported from across the country in 2014 and this rose to 772 in 2015 and to 1,582 in 2016.