Police probe woman's abduction claim

Verification issues with Belgian Embassy raise doubts

ISLAMABAD:

Police have formed a special committee, headed by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Operations Arsalan Shahzaib, to investigate a reported case of abduction and sexual assault involving a woman who claims to be a Belgian national.

The woman was found abandoned with her hands and feet bound within the Aabpara police station limits on Wednesday.

Talking to The Express Tribune, a police spokesperson said on Thursday that there was currently no evidence confirming the woman's foreign nationality, and the investigation remains ongoing. The spokesperson urged the public to refrain from speculation while the senior command of Islamabad police oversees the investigation.

The case came to light when a concerned citizen called emergency services after discovering the woman on Street No 33, G6/1, Saddar Road. The woman, reportedly 28 years old, was immediately taken to Polyclinic Hospital for medical treatment.

Claimed to have a Muslim name, Farwa stated that she had arrived in Pakistan from Belgium in January 2024. However, when police contacted the Belgian Embassy to verify her statement, embassy officials refuted her claims, stating that no woman by that name had entered Pakistan.

She told police she arrived in Islamabad around six months ago. She claimed that she had been living with a man and alleged that he had repeatedly raped her.

Inconsistencies in the woman's statements and expressed concerns about her mental state, as she was able to speak Urdu and Punjabi fluently.

The police have urged citizens to refrain from posting or sharing unverified information on social media, assuring the public of their commitment to uncovering the truth behind this tragic incident.

With additional input from APP