Lahore men sent to jail for raping women passengers

An anti-terrorism court in Lahore has extended the judicial remand of two men, accused of raping a woman and her daughter, for 14 days.

The suspects, identified as Umar Farooq and Mansab were brought to court amid tight security. At a hearing on Monday, the police told Judge Arshad Hussain Bhatta that the victims have identified the men during a parade.

According to the woman’s complaint, last month, Farooq, whose a rickshaw driver, and his friend took them to an empty plot near LDA Avenue and gang-raped them. Police records revealed Farooq has been named in two rape cases before.

Consequently, the court instructed the police to prepare a case challan and submit it at the next hearing. The suspects have, on the other hand, been sent back to jail.

Rape laws in Pakistan

Rape is a punishable offence in Pakistan. The definition and punishment for this crime are detailed under Sections 375 and 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

According to the law, a man is said to commit rape when he has sexual intercourse with a woman under circumstances falling under any of the five following descriptions:

• Against her will
• Without her consent
• With her consent, when the consent has been obtained by putting her in fear of death or of hurt
• With her consent, when the man knows that he is not married to her and that the consent is given because she believes that the man is another person to whom she is or believes herself to be married; or
• With or without her consent when she is under 16 years of age.

The convicted rapists will be sentenced to jail for no less than 10 years or more than 25 years, according to the law. A fine will also be imposed on them.