Faisalabad sees surge in gang-rape cases
A total of 97 women and girls were subjected to gang-rape across Faisalabad district during the first 11 months of the current year, yet not a single accused was convicted in court, official statistics show. The number of gang-rape cases registered in 2024 was 80.
During the current year, 97 gang-rape cases were reported in Faisalabad district.
Of these, 12 cases were registered in Lyallpur Town, 23 in Iqbal Town Division, 27 in Madina Town Division, 15 in Jaranwala Division, and 20 in Saddar Division.
Out of 297 accused named in these cases, the police were able to arrest 145 individuals, while 66 suspects were found innocent.
However, nine cases were dismissed, 10 remain under investigation, and 15 are still pending due to delays in DNA sampling.
In one of the latest incidents, Mohammad Riaz, a resident of 204-RB, reported that his 22-year-old daughter had been living with Ijaz Ali of 122-JB in Noor Pur due to their personal relationship.
Riaz stated in his complaint that Ijaz would take his daughter to various dance parties.
On November 22, Riaz's friend, Ameer Hamza, along with his wife, Zobia Mushtaq, took her to a house near the Al-Noor Executive Main Gate, where she was served breakfast and lassi.
According to the FIR, the lassi caused her to faint, after which Ameer Hamza and his accomplices allegedly gang-raped her one by one.
The accused later abandoned her near a salon and fled.
Madina Town police registered a gang rape case under Section 375-A and on the instructions of City Police Officer Sahibzada Bilal Umar, SHO Adeel Akram Cheema conducted raids and arrested all three accused.
Police officials said DNA testing of victims and suspects was conducted before submitting challans in court. However, despite these efforts, no suspect has been convicted in any gang rape case this year.
Officials attribute the delays to the slow processing of DNA reports, which should ideally be issued within three months but often take up to six months, causing significant setbacks in prosecution.
Sources revealed that 10 cases remain under investigation, nine were dismissed after DNA reports failed to confirm gang rape, and 15 cases are still pending because DNA samples were not collected in time.
SSP Investigation Nasir Mehmood Bajwa said that a dedicated SSIO unit has been established in the district to handle gang-rape cases, ensuring that every case is resolved strictly on merit.
He stated that out of the cases registered this year, 10 have been dismissed, while challans in 34 cases have been submitted to the courts.
In these cases, 66 suspects were found innocent, he added, assuring that evidence in all remaining cases is being compiled and will be completed soon.
Speaking about the rising number of gang-rape incidents in the district, senior lawyer Owais Manawar Randhawa, Advocate High Court, said that since women officers were deployed in the SSIO unit, such cases have increased.
On the other hand, HRCP Complaint Officer Anila Ashraf said a total of 1,042 gang-rape cases were registered this year across Punjab, including 97 cases in Faisalabad district.