LAHORE: A married woman has accused a senior government official of raping her in a room of the Gymkhana Club.

The incident of sexual assault has brought about embarrassment for the management and the members of the club, prompting it to hold an inquiry and issue a warning to the suspect/member.

The Racecourse police lodged a case under rape charges on the complaint of the woman (A) who nominated the suspect ‘T’ in the first information report.

She alleged that she called 15 to get police help after the assault on the premises of the club.

The woman said she was enjoying good relations with the senior government official who used to offer jobs for her friends besides promising her a job against a handsome package.

She said she and her children were living at the residence of her sister in Sabzazar. A few days back, her sister scuffled with her and the suspect offered her accommodation.

Being a senior government officer, she expressed trust in him, the woman said, adding that he picked her up in his car and took her to Bahria Town and after spending some time on various roads, he brought her to Lahore Gymkhana.

As she told him that she was not having her CNIC, the senior official said he would manage her stay in the Gymkhana, the woman said.

Later, he took her to a room of the club where he allegedly raped her, the FIR said.

The victim said as she protested over the assault, the official threatened her with dire consequences for bringing the matter to the notice of others.

Lahore Operations DIG Faisal Kamran confirmed the incident saying the police acted in response to her 15 call and registered a case against the suspect.

Lahore Gymkhana Club Secretary retired Brig Aulad Hussain Rizvi told this reporter that the incident had taken place two days back and the club probed it soon after the matter surfaced.

He said as the club staff heard cries of the woman coming from the room, they rushed there and found both scuffling over some issues.

“On inquiring about the matter, the government officer declared it a matter of monetary involvement”, Mr Rizvi said. Finally, the management asked both to leave the premises and resolve the matter somewhere else for the sake of the reputation of the club, he said.

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2024