ISLAMABAD: Police in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore have suspended the entire staff of a police station after a woman alleged she was raped inside the premises by an officer, a senior official confirmed on Tuesday, saying the station house officer (SHO) was ultimately responsible for everything that happened at the station.
The case has renewed scrutiny of police accountability and the treatment of vulnerable people in police custody in Pakistan, where allegations of abuse by law enforcement have periodically triggered public outrage.
According to a report published by Pakistan’s daily Dawnn newspaper, the alleged victim is around 20 years old and mentally impaired, while the allegation involved an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) from the Investigation Wing who allegedly took the woman to Ghaziabad police station on Sunday. A case has been registered under Pakistan’s rape law and provisions of the Police Order relating to police misconduct, while investigations are underway.
“Anything that happens in a police station ultimately falls under the responsibility of the SHO,” Lahore Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Faisal Kamran told Arab News on Tuesday, confirming the allegations and the suspension of the police station staff.
“Even though this incident involved the Investigation Wing, and the officer implicated was an ASI from the Investigation Wing, I considered it my personal responsibility to suspend the Operations SHO and the station staff.”
Kamran said police stations typically house multiple units, including the Operations Wing, Investigation Wing, Traffic Police and specialized departments.
“The Investigation Wing and the Operations Wing often work together in the same police station,” he said. “In fact, it is standard practice for one floor to be occupied by the Operations Wing and another by the Investigation Wing... Therefore, anything that happens in a police station ultimately falls under the responsibility of the SHO.”
“As for the allegation, the medical examination will determine whether the alleged rape occurred,” Kamran added.
According to the report published by Dawn, the first information report (FIR), filed by the woman’s father, says his daughter left home on Sunday afternoon and did not return. While searching for her, a man allegedly told the family that a policeman in civilian clothes had taken her away on a motorcycle.
Dawn reported that the family later went to Ghaziabad police station looking for the woman but were informed she had already returned home. According to the newspaper’s account of the FIR, the woman later told her family that a police officer had taken her to the station and raped her.
Kamran confirmed to Arab News that the complainant had identified, in the presence of senior police officials, the room inside the police station where she alleged the assault took place.
More than 70 police personnel posted at Ghaziabad police station have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation, according to Dawn.
