78 Lahore cops suspended after ASI's alleged sexual assault of mentally challenged woman in police station

The Lahore police on Tuesday suspended the entire staff of Ghaziabad Police Station over administrative lapses and poor supervision after an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) was arrested for allegedly raping a mentally challenged woman on the premises.

On August 3, a first information report (FIR) was registered at the Ghaziabad Police Station under Sections 376 (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and 155C (penalty for certain types of misconduct by police officers) of the Police Order 2002 against an ASI on the complaint of the victim’s father. On the same day, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Investigation Syed Zeeshan Raza took notice of the incident and ordered the arrest of the suspect.

The complainant said that his approximately 19–20-year-old mentally challenged daughter left the house on Sunday around 1pm. "When she did not return for a considerable time, Faisal Yousaf, son of Muhammad Yousaf, informed us that a policeman, who was in plain clothes, had taken our daughter away.”

He said he immediately went to the police station, but upon reaching there he was informed that the girl had already returned home. “We all returned home, where my daughter was crying. I asked her the reason, and she told me that a policeman ... had taken her [to the police station] and forcibly raped her,” he said.

Read: Rape brutality

The complainant requested legal action against the suspect. According to suspension orders available with The Express Tribune, 78 staff posted at the police station were suspended and directed to report to the Police Lines till further orders.

The cops suspended for “poor supervision and negligence” included the station house officer (SHO), two sub-inspectors, eight ASIs, front desk staff and other officials, bringing the total number of suspended personnel to 78.

According to an official statement shared by Lahore police on X, DIG (Operations) Faisal Kamran noted that maintaining the overall discipline and environment of the police station was the primary responsibility of every officer, including the SHO.

The DIG also said, “Poor oversight or irresponsible behaviour will not be tolerated under any circumstances, and there will be no compromise on professional discipline.”

He vowed that the process of accountability would be ensured at the “police station level” to establish a public-friendly and responsible police culture.

The statement further revealed that Ali Zafar Dastagir was appointed as the new SHO of the Ghaziabad Police Station.

Punjab Women Protection Authority chairperson Hina Parvez Butt condemned the incident, saying that "the rape of a woman by the ASI in Lahore is regrettable."

The police said the investigation was under way, adding that further legal and departmental action would be taken in light of its findings.