A spokesperson for the Lahore police said on Saturday that Mufti Azizur Rehman had "escaped", adding that officials were currently working on tracing the suspect.

Lahore police spokesperson Arif Rana said that several raids were conducted in different areas of the city to arrest the cleric. "But the suspect escaped. His mobile phone was showing different locations within Lahore, but he was not present at any," he said.

Rana added that officials were tracing the suspect and his sons.

Read: Journalists, activists question silence from religious parties after FIR against Lahore cleric

Earlier this week, police had registered a case against Rehman after a harrowing video clip of him allegedly sexually assaulting one of his students was widely shared on social media.

The North Cantonment police registered a case against Mufti Rehman for sexually assaulting the student and his three sons for attacking the complainant with the intention to exact revenge.

The case was lodged against them with non-compoundable and non-bailable offences and with punishment of imprisonment up to seven years or so.

Earlier in August last year, the suspect spearheaded a protest against actor Saba Qamar and singer Bilal for recording shooting of a song at Masjid Wazir Khan.