LAHORE: A teenage girl was gang-raped by a group of men after being drugged in a guest house in the Mall Road area here on Saturday, police said.

The 15-year-old victim was brought to Services Hospital where reports of initial medical tests revealed that the girl had been subjected to rape.

The teenager, who is a resident of Multan Road, was first kidnapped by unidentified men before she was taken to a guest house in the Mall Road area, said Station House Officer (SHO) Ahmad Usman.

"The girl was drugged and later six to eight men gang-raped her," added SHO Usman.

The victim was also tortured physically, stated the SHO.

Examine: ‘Gang-raped’ teen dies under train

After raping her, the perpetrators messaged her family to come and pick her up from a spot.

Police has arrested six suspects in connection with the gang-rape while two to three main suspects have managed to flee, stated the SHO.

The main accused, a PML-N member, is absconding in the case.

"Raids are being conducted to arrest all the accused in the case," said DIG Operations Haider Ashraf.

The victim, an 8th grade student, is receiving treatment in a hospital.

Rape is notoriously difficult to prosecute in Pakistan. In April 2011, the Supreme Court had upheld the acquittal of five men sentenced to death in Pakistan's most famous rape case, that of Mukhtar Mai.

Mai was gang raped in 2002 on the orders of a village council as punishment, after her brother, who was aged just 12 at the time, was accused of having illicit relations with a woman from a rival clan.

A local court had sentenced six men to death, but a higher court acquitted five of them in March 2005, and commuted the sentence for the main accused, Abdul Khaliq, to life imprisonment.

Opinion

Editorial

Afghan turbulence
Updated 19 Mar, 2024

Afghan turbulence

RELATIONS between the newly formed government and Afghanistan’s de facto Taliban rulers have begun on an...
In disarray
19 Mar, 2024

In disarray

IT is clear that there is some bad blood within the PTI’s ranks. Ever since the PTI lost a key battle over ...
Festering wound
19 Mar, 2024

Festering wound

PROTESTS unfolded once more in Gwadar, this time against the alleged enforced disappearances of two young men, who...
Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...