Woman, teenage girl allegedly raped

A woman and a 14-year-old girl were sexually assaulted by suspects in separate incidents on Friday.

Police said in a case filed by Abdul Rashid, a resident of Chak 157 RB on Jhamra Road, it was stated that his 14-year-old daughter went to a grocery store when his neighbour, Waseem, allegedly chased her and took her near his house, before raping her at gunpoint.

Meanwhile, accused Sajid, along with his two friends, allegedly entered the house of the 18-year-old daughter of Haq Nawaz, a resident of Chak 424 GB.

The intruders allegedly took the victim into a room at gunpoint and raped her. Police registered cases under Section 376 PPC and started raids to arrest the accused.

Sexual assaults are a common occurrence across Punjab. In December 2021, a woman was lured to a secluded spot near Allied Hospital in Sheikhupura, under the false pretenses of getting the medicine she needed.

The man who took her to the spot allegedly raped her, before leaving her near the front gate of Allied Hospital three hours later.

Separately, home invaders allegedly raped a woman in Lahore in April. A resident of the 541 GB area filed a complaint with police that the accused, Muhammad Imran, allegedly broke into her house and raped her teenage daughter when she was home alone.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2022.