LAHORE: A 15-year old rape survivor who was assaulted by at least eight men in a hotel on Mall Road attempted suicide after continuous pressure from police and prosecution, her family said Saturday.

The victim's brother-in-law told Dawn that the family was about to go to sleep at night when she jumped from the terrace. She injured herself and was rushed to the Services Hospital. She is now back at home recovering.

He said she had been under duress from the police interrogations, where officials harassed her with "all kinds of questions".

"She's a child," her brother-in-law said. "You can imagine what kind of questions they ask."

The victim's sister earlier told Dawn that police were pressuring their family to exclude the name of main suspect Adnan from the FIR. She said police started action against the suspects after some TV channels aired the news and appealed to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for justice.

The teenage girl, an 8th grade student, had earlier said that a PML-N youth wing member and his accomplices kidnapped her from Multan Road and forced her to drink some intoxicated liquid after which she lost consciousness.

This was followed by a text message that was received on the girl's mother's mobile phone around 11pm last Friday. The text said: “Your daughter is lying unconscious in room number 230 of a hotel on The Mall.” She said the family found the girl lying unconscious in the hotel room when they reached there along with police.

Racecourse police recovered the girl from the hotel room and shifted her to Services Hospital where reports of initial medical tests revealed she had been assaulted.

On the complaint of the survivor's mother, the police registered a case against suspects six men and the PML-N member.

DNA tests of the eight men and the survivor were conducted by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency.

The FIR was initially registered against the suspects under Sections 376 and 506 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Police also added abduction to the list of charges against the eight accused.

All eight suspects were arrested on Saturday and Sunday, along with the hotel manager. The hotel facility has since been sealed.

Opinion

Editorial

IMF’s projections
Updated 18 Apr, 2024

IMF’s projections

The problems are well-known and the country is aware of what is needed to stabilise the economy; the challenge is follow-through and implementation.
Hepatitis crisis
18 Apr, 2024

Hepatitis crisis

THE sheer scale of the crisis is staggering. A new WHO report flags Pakistan as the country with the highest number...
Never-ending suffering
18 Apr, 2024

Never-ending suffering

OVER the weekend, the world witnessed an intense spectacle when Iran launched its drone-and-missile barrage against...
Saudi FM’s visit
Updated 17 Apr, 2024

Saudi FM’s visit

The government of Shehbaz Sharif will have to manage a delicate balancing act with Pakistan’s traditional Saudi allies and its Iranian neighbours.
Dharna inquiry
17 Apr, 2024

Dharna inquiry

THE Supreme Court-sanctioned inquiry into the infamous Faizabad dharna of 2017 has turned out to be a damp squib. A...
Future energy
17 Apr, 2024

Future energy

PRIME MINISTER Shehbaz Sharif’s recent directive to the energy sector to curtail Pakistan’s staggering $27bn oil...