Punjab govt report clears sexual assault claims in Lahore college case

Family of alleged victim seeks action against false social media reports

LAHORE:

The Punjab government's high-powered committee has released its initial findings on the alleged assault of a female student at a private college in Lahore, rejecting the claims that sparked widespread concern.

The committee, formed by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, spent Tuesday gathering statements from the girl, her family, and multiple witnesses, including college staff and students, to clarify the facts surrounding the incident.

The committee, led by Punjab’s Secretary of Interior, visited the home of the alleged victim and interviewed the girl and her parents for three hours. They also recorded statements from 36 individuals, including Lahore DIG Operations Faisal Kamran, college principal Dr Saadia Javed, college security personnel, and students, as part of a broader investigation.

In a detailed statement, the girl’s parents strongly refuted the rape and assault allegations circulating on social media. They clarified that their daughter had not been assaulted but had suffered a fall at home on October 2, which led to medical treatment.

Initially, she was treated at General Hospital and later at the Brain and Spine Clinic by Dr Sabir Hussain on October 3. After further complications, she was moved to Ittefaq Hospital, where she was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to respiratory issues and discharged on October 11.

The family expressed distress over the false information spreading online and the undue attention it had brought them. "Our daughter has been wrongfully linked to a fabricated incident. There was no assault, and we are suffering because of these baseless rumours," the parents stated. They also revealed that their daughter had been on official medical leave from the college between October 3 and October 15.

The student and her family have now requested police action under the Cybercrime Act, urging authorities to file charges against those responsible for spreading false claims. “We ask the authorities to take the strictest legal action against those using social media to spread lies and harass us,” the family said in their official statement.

The high-powered committee’s investigation continued throughout the day, with interviews conducted at the Civil Secretariat. The committee reviewed the situation in depth, with officials from various departments, including the Secretary of Special Education, Secretary of Higher Education, and Additional Secretary of Interior, all participating in the probe.

Meanwhile, Punjab authorities have launched a separate inquiry into the social media disinformation campaign that linked the girl’s medical condition to an alleged assault. A seven-member committee from the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cybercrime Wing has been established to trace and take legal action against those responsible for disseminating false information.

The incident had earlier caused a stir when claims of sexual assault at the private college spread across social media platforms. Following the uproar, Chief Minister Maryam formed the committee to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure that all facts were presented clearly.

DIG Faisal Kamran, who was interviewed by the committee, stated that the police responded swiftly after the initial claims went viral on social media, but there was no evidence of any assault at the college. He added that police had reviewed CCTV footage and conducted on-site investigations, but found no indication of foul play.

The student protests that erupted after the allegations surfaced have now calmed as authorities investigate the source of the disinformation. The Punjab government has reassured the public that it takes such allegations seriously and will ensure justice is served if any wrongdoing is found. However, the preliminary findings suggest that the incident was fabricated and used to stir unrest.

Further updates are expected once the final report is submitted, but for now, the case appears to be one of misinformation spread through social media, with no substantive evidence supporting the allegations. Authorities have promised to hold those responsible for the false claims accountable.