Foreign woman alleges sexual assault after being taken to undisclosed location in Lahore

Lahore Police have registered a case following a complaint by a 20-year-old Azerbaijani woman, who alleged that she was assaulted

LAHORE: Lahore Police have registered a case following a complaint by a 20-year-old Azerbaijani woman, who alleged that she was assaulted and robbed by unidentified men in the Defence area of Lahore.

According to FIR No. 2446/26, registered at Defence (C) Police Station on September 26, the case has been registered under Sections 375-A and 337-J of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The complainant, who according to the FIR is an Azerbaijani national visiting Pakistan for business purposes, approached police after allegedly experiencing a series of incidents during the night between September 25 and 26.

According to her account recorded in the FIR, the woman had gone to a cafe with two unidentified women. She alleged that she was subsequently taken by three unidentified men to an undisclosed location on the pretext of going for a drive.

The complainant further alleged that she was administered an intoxicating substance during the incident and was subsequently sexually assaulted.

She told police that the suspects later left her near Ghazi Interchange at approximately 4am on September 26.

The woman also alleged that the suspects took away two mobile phones belonging to her before leaving the area.

After being dropped near the interchange, the complainant reportedly sought assistance from a passerby and used the person’s phone to contact the police emergency helpline 15.

She subsequently submitted a written complaint to police, requesting legal action against those responsible for the alleged incident.

Police registered the FIR on the basis of her complaint and initiated an investigation into the allegations.

Investigators are expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the woman’s movements before and after the alleged incident and establish the identities of the people accompanying her to the cafe and the individuals who allegedly took her away.

Police officials are also collecting potential evidence, including CCTV recordings from relevant locations. Investigators are expected to examine footage from the cafe, roads, nearby commercial areas and other locations that may help establish the movements of the complainant and the suspects.

Technical evidence is also being examined as part of the investigation, while police are working to trace the allegedly missing mobile phones and identify individuals who may have been involved.

Officials said the investigation would proceed according to law and that further action would be taken after the collection and examination of available evidence.

The allegations contained in the FIR have not yet been independently established in court. The identities of the suspects were not immediately known, and no arrests were mentioned in the initial police report.

Police have continued their investigation to determine the facts of the case, verify the complainant’s account and identify the individuals allegedly involved.

The case comes as Lahore Police continue to rely on CCTV footage, technical investigation and other forensic evidence in cases involving unidentified suspects.

Officials said all relevant evidence would be examined before further legal proceedings are initiated against any individual found to be involved.

The complainant’s allegations will now form the basis of the investigation, while the final legal determination will depend on the evidence collected by investigators and subsequent proceedings before the competent authorities and courts.