Pakistani police have arrested four men in connection with the alleged kidnapping, gang rape, and extortion of two foreign women in Lahore.
The case has sent shockwaves through the country and ignited intense public scrutiny after the principal suspect was identified as a close relative of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
The victims, identified as Stephanie Adriana Mo-Asim of the Netherlands and Astrid Robinson Bracho of Venezuela, traveled to Pakistan on June 29.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), the women accepted an invitation from the primary suspect, Muhammad Raza Dar, whom they had initially met in Singapore in October 2025.
Investigators revealed that Dar had facilitated the women’s Pakistani visas prior to their arrival.
The complaint alleges that shortly after arriving in Lahore, the women were taken to a residence in the city’s upscale Defense Housing Authority (DHA) neighborhood.
Once inside, they were unlawfully confined, repeatedly sexually assaulted, robbed, and threatened with knives and a firearm.
Pakistani kidnappers demanded ransom after sexually assaulting two victims
Information obtained by The Media Line indicates that the suspects subsequently demanded a $1.5 million ransom from the victims’ families in exchange for their safe release.
The investigation escalated rapidly after the father of one of the victims placed an overseas call from Spain to Lahore Police’s Rescue 15 emergency helpline, reporting that his daughter and her friend had vanished after traveling to Pakistan and that the family was receiving ransom demands originating from Lahore.
Police sources noted that the emergency complaint prompted an immediate, high-priority response from the Punjab government because the victims were foreign nationals. The Dutch ambassador to Pakistan also became directly involved upon learning of the incident, further accelerating the operation.
Within two hours of receiving the emergency call from Spain, police successfully traced the women to the DHA residence, rescued them, and apprehended four suspects.
Alongside the principal suspect, Muhammad Raza Dar, authorities arrested Hassan Raza, Sikandar Khan, and Sajid Ali. Law enforcement continues to search for a fifth suspect, identified by police sources as Ali Dar.
Lahore Deputy Inspector General (Operations) Faisal Kamran told reporters that medical examinations of the victims found evidence of rape.
“We have obtained the physical remand of the four suspects to recover the weapons allegedly used in the crime,” Kamran stated.
Police did not dispute that the suspect is related to Ishaq Dar
When questioned directly about the principal suspect’s relationship to Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Kamran did not dispute the reported family relationship.
“Even if he is related to him, the law is equal for everyone. The police are under no pressure, and the operation was carried out on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz,” Kamran said, adding that investigators are pursuing the case without political interference or preferential treatment.
Neither Ishaq Dar nor Pakistan’s Foreign Office had publicly commented on the reported family connection at the time of publication.
A Lahore court has placed the four arrested suspects on physical remand to allow investigators to collect forensic evidence and continue their search for the remaining suspect. In its written order, the court directed authorities to present the suspects again on July 8 following the expiry of their remand, along with a progress report on the investigation.
Meanwhile, Senator Faisal Vawda described the case as a “national disgrace” and called on Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to resign over the alleged involvement of his close relative.
In a statement posted on X, Vawda said Dar no longer had the moral authority to remain in office. He also accused the government of attempting to suppress the case by treating it primarily as an extortion investigation rather than a rape case and alleged that authorities were making efforts to facilitate the early departure of the two foreign women from Pakistan.
The government has not publicly responded to Vawda’s allegations.
