Lahore Police arrest man suspected of raping 'family friend' from UK

Police on Thursday arrested a man suspected of raping his “family friend” who was staying with his family after she returned from the United Kingdom.

The police said that the incident occurred at Lahore’s Wahadat Colony.

The law enforcement agency said that the woman had arrived from the UK to attend her father’s funeral. However, the woman’s stepmother kicked her out of the house.

She then moved to the home of her father’s friend where the suspect allegedly raped her.

The police said that the suspect is in their custody and that they have sent the victim for a medical examination. 

Increasing number of rape cases

Statistics from 2020 have revealed that at least 11 rape incidents were reported in Pakistan every day with over 22,000 cases reported to police across the country in the last six years.

However, only 77 accused have been convicted which comprise 0.3% of the total figure.

These statistics were obtained from the Police, Law, and Justice Commission of Pakistan, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the Women's Foundation, and provincial welfare agencies.

According to a Geo News investigation, only 41% of rape cases are reported to the police due to social pressures and loopholes in the law and order system.

Since 2015, a total of 22,037 cases of abuse have been registered, 4,060 cases are pending in the courts, of which 77 offenders have been convicted and only 18% of cases have reached the prosecution stage.

Police officials noted that only half of the rape cases are registered and the actual number of rape cases in the last five years could be as high as 60,000.

In addition, out of the total reported cases, 2,727 challans — or just 12% of the total cases — were filed in the courts, while a decision was given in 1,274, or 5% of them, with 1,192 accused acquitted.

According to official data, 18,609 rape cases were registered in Punjab during the last six years, 1,873 in Sindh, 1,183 in KP, 129 in Balochistan, 210 in Islamabad.

Thirty-one cases were registered in Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan in which no accused was convicted.