Police Launch Swift Action After Social Media Uproar
Abbottabad police have arrested three men accused of gang-raping a woman in the Bakot area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The incident, which occurred last week, came to light after it triggered widespread outrage on social media platforms, including Facebook and TikTok, prompting swift action by authorities.
Police spokesperson Azam Mir Afzal confirmed that the woman, a resident of Rawalpindi, was allegedly brought to a remote village in Bakot by one of the suspects on Wednesday. There, she was reportedly raped by him and two of his friends at a private residence.
Following the public backlash, District Police Officer (DPO) Umar Tufail ordered immediate arrests. A police team led by Bakot SHO Arshad Khan was dispatched to the village, where local residents were also expressing anger and demanding justice.
An FIR (First Information Report) was registered at the Bakot police station, under Sections 34 (common intention), 375A (rape), and 376 (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code. According to the FIR, the homeowner confessed to the crime and named his two accomplices, both of whom were also arrested shortly after. The man who transported the victim from Rawalpindi was among those detained.
Rape Cases Persist Despite Stricter Laws
Authorities stated that the victim is still being located, and investigations are ongoing to gather further evidence and ensure legal proceedings move forward. Despite the existence of stringent anti-rape laws in Pakistan, including provisions for the death penalty or 10 to 25 years’ imprisonment, such crimes continue to occur at alarming rates.
The incident in Abbottabad follows a series of recent rape cases across the country that have shocked the public. In July, a 19-year-old newlywed woman in Karachi’s Lyari succumbed to injuries following an alleged marital rape and brutal sexual violence by her husband. The accused was arrested.
Earlier in the same month, police in Karachi’s Ittehad Town apprehended a suspect allegedly involved in another gang-rape case, again drawing attention to ongoing issues of sexual violence and systemic delays in justice.
Rights activists continue to call for faster investigations, victim protection, and social reforms to tackle the rising number of gender-based crimes in Pakistan.
