LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Saturday took notice of alleged incidents of rape of women by a gang in the Badu Malhi area of district Narowal.

She said the anti-social gang of rapists should be punished as per law and directed the officers to arrest the gang immediately.

She sought a report from the Punjab inspector general of police on the issue.

The Narowal police have arrested a gang involved in filming the women picnicking along with their families at the Bambanwala-Ravi-Bedian (BRB) Canal and blackmailing them later with threats to upload ‘objectionable’ material on social media to mint money or to exploit them sexually.

In a couple of FIRs, the complainants said the suspects approached their houses and showed them objectionable videos of their daughters and other relatives and demanded money. The families paid them money on the condition that they would delete the videos but they did not do that. Rather, they approached the families time and again and demanded more money.

An affected family member told Dawn police were favouring some suspects for they were enjoying strong political backing. He complained that police did not include rape sections in the FIRs as a number of girls were raped by the suspects.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Police also released a statement, claiming that they had arrested the gang members involved in mistreatment, harassment and carrying out indecent acts with women.

Narowal District Police Officer Muhammad Naveed took notice of the incidents that happened on the canal track in the Nedoke Police Station area and formed a special team under the DSP Saddar to immediately arrest all the suspects.

Mr Naveed said legal proceedings against the suspects were going on and the requirements of law and justice would be fulfilled.

Inspector General of Police Dr Usman Anwar said those who harassed women did not deserve any exemption and all those involved would be punished according to the law.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2024