‘Is there a rape after every 15 minutes in Punjab?’ LHC asks IG Usman

In a hearing on the bail application of an accused in a rape case, the Lahore High Court summoned Inspector General Punjab Police Usman Anwar, asking him if reports claiming that a rape occurs every 15 minutes in the province are true.

A three-member full bench headed by Chief Justice Lahore High Court Justice Alia Neelam heard the bail plea of an accused in a rape case filed by Wajid Ali, who was arrested on charges of adultery.

The full bench also included Justice Faruq Haider and Justice Ali Zia Bajwa.

Advocate General Punjab Khalid Ishaq, Prosecutor General Punjab Syed Farhad Ali Shah and IG Punjab, along with FIA officers, appeared in the court order.

Advocate Ishaq told the court that 150,000 cases have been registered since the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act 2021 was enacted. To this, Justice Bajwa quoted Advocate’s report which read that “a rape is happening in Punjab every fifteen minutes.”

He further remarked that “According to your calculations, we have surpassed India as it is in third place on the list and here a rape is happening every fifteen minutes now.”

To this, Advocate General Punjab responded that all the cited cases are not of rape as many are lodged on false allegations. According to his claims, women officers are deployed in every center of Punjab for such cases, while medical officers are also being trained. 

30 percent of false rape cases were registered, as per the report. 

Advocate Ishaq assured the court that action is being taken against those who file false cases, while Justice Ali Zia Bajwa ruled that strict measures must be taken against such individuals.

Media reports reveal that rape cases are very high in Pakistan, whereas police’s report assure that action is also being taken against the cited cases.

Chief Justice Lahore High Court, however, again quoting the report, stated that rape cases are being reported the most, nonethtless, followed by drug and murder cases, asserting on the lack of implementation of the Anti-Rape Act. 

“There are three stages of the Anti-Rape Act and they should be read before filing a case,” he added.

Justice Alia Neelam ruled that a trauma column in the form for investigating gender-based violence cases needs to be added. 

The court appreciated IG Punjab’s work, but also reiterated the need to train the officers investigating these cases.

Prosecutor General Punjab Farhad Ali Shah told the court that no police officer less than grade less than 17 can investigate these cases.

IG Punjab Usman Anwar told the court that a virtual police station has also been established with the help of the Safe City Authority in which rape victims can file a complaint through email, call or WhatsApp. 

2100 women have been recruited who have undergone special training, 880 investigation officers have been recruited whose minimum education is graduation. He noted that an investigation officer deals with an average of 53 cases.

However, Justice Farooq Haider remarked that some amendments are needed in the rules and this should be brought to the notice of the government. 

Later, the Lahore High Court summoned the Attorney General, Advocate General, Prosecutor General and IG Punjab again on February 10.