Former Federal Minister Moonis Ilahi has raised questions over the arrest of a relative of Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar in connection with the alleged abduction and sexual assault of two foreign national women in Lahore, asking whether the Crime Control Department (CCD) will pursue the case.
“Ishaq Dar’s close relative arrested on charges of abusing foreign women and kidnapping for ransom. Now let’s see if the CCD does something here or just salutes,” Elahi said in a post on X amid growing calls for accountability.
The post came as senior journalist and analyst Najam Sethi predicted that the matter would not proceed far given the departure of the alleged victims from Pakistan.
“This case will go nowhere. This is finished,” Sethi said.
Asked whether the file would be shelved after the accused’s release, he said the suspect “will stay in jail for some time, an FIR will be registered and after six or seven months, they will be quietly released, or maybe a bit longer”.
He also questioned the strength of the evidence on record. “Because there is no evidence after all this. Was the medical examination done? No, it wasn’t. Why wasn’t it done? The people who are levelling the allegations are not even here anymore,” he pointed out.
Sethi said that the case hinges on the complainants of those who “have been sent out of the country”, adding that the four or five suspects “will also be released because no one will be ready to testify”.
Conversely, senior politician and prime minister’s aide Rana Sanaullah dismissed assertions of a cover-up.
Speaking to a private news outlet, Sanaullah defended the police response, labelling it “highly efficient and timely”.
He confirmed that initial medical examinations had been conducted, suspects were apprehended, and critical statements under Section 164 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) were securely documented before the victims left the country.
“The suspects have also been arrested, the statements under Section 164 of those women have also been recorded, and their medical examination has been conducted as well,” Sanaullah observed.
“So, in this matter, the criminals will not be able to escape punishment.” He added that a transfer of the case to the CCD remains an option if regular police face obstacles.
It may be noted that the possibility of transfer of the case to the CCD remains a point of discussion owing to the newly-formed department’s track record in similar cases, which has seen killing of sexual assault suspects “in firing by own accomplices” during alleged shootouts with the police.
While the public remains divided on the department’s actions, a number of journalists, including Zarrar Khuhro, are calling out the CCD over its alleged approach towards determining action on the basis of a suspect’s background.
“CCCCD: Class conscious crime control department,” Khuhro said in a post on X.
Meanwhile, the Defence C station house officer (SHO), who is probing the case, was booked for forcing entry into the residence of a judicial magistrate in Dharampura.
According to reports, SHO Fariyad Ashraf arrived after office hours, accompanied by two armed cops, and pushed past the magistrate’s staff after being told to wait.
Amid conflicting reports over the reason behind the visit, the magistrate reported the conduct to police high-ups and a case was registered on the complaint of the caretaker of the judicial residences, who alleged the visiting officers threatened staff.
It may be noted that the case itself was registered against five suspects on Thursday on charges of kidnapping for ransom and sexual assault.
Police said that the complaint originated from a call to the police helpline from Spain, by the father of one of the victims, who reported the kidnapping and demand for ransom.
The women were promptly rescued by police personnel on strict orders of Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz.
