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Lahore police have arrested four men, including a relative of Ishaq Dar, over the alleged abduction and gangrape of two foreign women. The case has drawn intense scrutiny because of the political link and the pending hunt for a fifth suspect.
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Lahore,UPDATED: Jul 3, 2026 17:04 IST
Four men, including a relative of Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, have been arrested in Lahore over the alleged gangrape of two foreign women from the Netherlands and Venezuela, police said. A Lahore court sent the suspects to five-day police remand on Friday.
The women were allegedly abducted and gangraped by five men on June 29 after arriving in Pakistan on business visas arranged by the main accused, Muhammad Raza Dar. Police said one suspect is still absconding and raids are underway to arrest him.
The other arrested suspects were identified as Hassan Raza, Sikandar Khan and Sajid Ali. Raza Dar was identified as the prime suspect and is linked to Ishaq Dar. "Since it is a very sensitive matter as a close relative of Deputy PM Ishaq Dar is involved in this high-profile case, police are investigating it from all aspects," a police officer said.
Police said they rescued the women after receiving a call from Spain from the father of one of the victims. Lahore police registered a case against five suspects on Thursday under sections 365A (kidnapping) and 375A (gang rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The women told police that they had met Raza Dar in Singapore in October 2025 and that he had invited them to visit Pakistan. A second police official told PTI that the women and Raza Dar were partners in a cryptocurrency venture. Raza Dar arranged business visas for their visit, and they arrived in Lahore on June 29.
One of the women told police that after they reached Lahore, Raza Dar and the other suspects abducted them and took them to a house, where they allegedly gangraped them and demanded ransom for their release. A court official said the women identified Raza Dar as the "prime suspect" when the four accused were produced before a magistrate.
The case concerns the alleged abduction, gangrape and ransom demand involving the two foreign women, with four suspects in custody for five days and police searching for the fifth accused.
With PTI Inputs
- Ends
Published By:
India Today Web Desk
Published On:
Jul 3, 2026 17:04 IST
