Lahore court remands suspects in kidnapping and rape case involving two foreign women

A Lahore court granted on Friday a five-day physical remand of four suspects accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting two foreign women in the city's Defence area. The suspects were produced before Judicial Magistrate Azhar Mehmood at the Cantt Kachehri under tight security, with the next hearing scheduled for July 8.

Who are the suspects in the Lahore foreign women kidnapping case?

Four suspects, named in police records as Raza Dar, Hassan Raza, Sajid Ali, and Sikandar Khan, were presented before the magistrate and ordered to remove their masks in court for identification. A fifth suspect, Ali Dar, was also named in the case. The FIR was registered at the Defence C police station under Sections 365-A and 375-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, covering kidnapping for ransom and sexual assault.

The investigating officer told the court that physical remand was necessary to continue questioning the suspects and gather further evidence. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court approved a five-day remand for the main suspect and the three others. The prosecution confirmed that both victims are foreign nationals.

What happened to the two foreign women in Lahore?

According to the FIR, the two women, a Dutch national and a Venezuelan national, first met the prime suspect in Singapore in 2025 through a business arrangement. They travelled to Pakistan on his invitation to visit friends and arrived in Lahore on June 29. After their arrival, they were allegedly confined at gunpoint at a residence in DHA's Y-Block, sexually assaulted, and threatened while suspects demanded roughly $1.5 million in ransom.

The case came to light after the father of one of the victims, calling from Spain, alerted Pakistani authorities through the Police Emergency Helpline 15. On the directive of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, police launched an immediate rescue operation using Safe City surveillance cameras and recovered both women within approximately two hours. Four men were arrested during the operation, while raids to apprehend the remaining named suspect are ongoing, according to DIG Operations Faisal Kamran.

What legal steps followed the rescue?

After being recovered, both women were brought to the Cantt Kachehri, where their statements were formally recorded before a judicial magistrate. They also underwent medical examinations, with police saying further legal action would follow based on the evidence collected. Separately, the Defence C station house officer was suspended over alleged negligence in the case.