Lahore police have ordered officers to treat a suspect linked to a senior minister like any other criminal. The directive followed the alleged abduction and sexual assault of two foreign women. Police announced the development during a press conference on Sunday.
Police Detail Rescue Operation and Investigation
Lahore Deputy Inspector General Operations Faisal Kamran said officers prioritized rescuing the women before pursuing arrests. Therefore, police launched raids in Sargodha and several other locations. Investigators also examined the suspect’s family background during the operation.
Police discovered the suspect’s family previously rented a house connected to relatives of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Investigators later identified the suspect as Muhammad Raza Dar. However, Kamran stressed that officers ignored any reported political connections during the investigation.
After verifying the family details, investigators obtained the suspect’s contact number. They immediately started tracing his location through technical and field investigations. Meanwhile, Kamran said the suspect’s family likely advised him to surrender.
Women Escaped After Vehicle Crashed Near Bhatta Chowk
According to Kamran, the suspect told the women he was taking them to the airport. He also claimed that he had received the ransom. However, the vehicle headed toward Bhatta Chowk instead.
Consequently, the women became suspicious of the route. Soon afterward, the vehicle crashed into another car. Both women immediately escaped and ran into a nearby shop.
Meanwhile, one woman contacted her father through WhatsApp voice messages. Her father stayed in contact with the ASP Defence throughout the incident. He also connected both women with the police officer through a conference call.
The women informed police that they had escaped safely. Meanwhile, officers tracked the suspect using Safe City surveillance and his mobile phone. Police later instructed him to surrender.
