Punjab experiencing shocking rise in crimes against women

LAHORE: Different incidents of harassment, rape and abduction of women were reported from Lahore, Kasur and Toba Tek Singh on Friday, raising serious concerns among the people.

In Lahore, a woman was gang raped by a rickshaw driver and his two accomplices after taking her hostage at gunpoint in the presence of her minor daughter at Garhi Shahu. The victim was lured by the suspects with a job offer. The 19-year-old victim told the police that the main accused Saif had called her to a meeting with some people for a job. He picked her up from Mughalpura in a rickshaw and took her to a house in Railway Colony, where two persons were already present including one Liaqat. Another was holding a handgun, “who pointed

the gun at my daughter and threatened to shoot her if I resisted,” the victim said.

The suspects raped her and afterwards dumped her on a road and fled. Police have registered a case. The Inspector General of Punjab Police, Inam Ghani, has directed the authorities to arrest the suspects as soon as possible.

Similarly in Kasur, a married woman was gang-raped by three accused near Peruwala Road. According to the Sadr police, the wife of Ali Ahmed was gang-raped by accused Umar and his two accomplices.

A similar incident of depravity was reported from Toba Tek Singh, when a girl, who was allegedly abducted three months ago by three persons, returned home on Friday.The victim, who is a resident of Gojra, in her FIR told the police that accused Naveed Masih of her village was working as a servant with her. She said that she got expelled him from his job, which infuriated him. Later, accused Naveed allegedly abducted her and took her to a house where he allegedly raped her for three months. Police have shifted the girl to Gojra THQ Hospital for medical examination.

Furthermore, three women were abducted from different localities of Kasur.Accused Kazim Raza and his accomplices abducted the daughter of Muhammad Khalid of Pattoki.Accused Fakhar and his accomplices kidnapped the daughter of Afzal in Abdul Khaliq Colony. Unidentified accused abducted the wife of Ramzan in Kot Radha Kishan. Police have registered separate cases.

The unabated incidents against women have raised alarm bells among the anguished and shocked people who are asking the Punjab government and the police to take serious action against such crimes.