What happened
Lahore’s Deputy Inspector General of Police (Operations), Faisal Kamran, told a press conference on 5 July 2026 that police had arrested eight suspects over the alleged abduction, extortion and sexual assault of two foreign women, and that a suspect reportedly linked to a senior government minister would be treated “like any other criminal”.
The police account
The two women, one Dutch and one Venezuelan, arrived in Islamabad on 26 June and travelled to Lahore on 29 June, the DIG said. He said that around midnight on 1 July the Punjab Safe City Authority received information from a man identified as Carlos, the father of one of the women, who reported that his daughter had been abducted in Pakistan and that he had received a ransom demand.
Kamran said police used telephone numbers, vehicle registration details, travel records and Safe City camera footage to trace the women, carrying out raids in Shahdara, Defence and Sargodha. He said the women were recovered near Bhatta Chowk after a scuffle in the vehicle, which collided with an object, and the women jumped out and sought refuge at a nearby filtration plant.
The DIG said investigators identified the prime suspect as Mohammad Raza Dar after verifying information with his family and obtaining his phone number. He said the suspect had been driving the two women to the airport when an altercation began. Media reports, including from The Express Tribune and India Today, described Dar as a grandson of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Those reports were not independently confirmed by KhabarWire, and the claim was also reported as an allegation in the case.
Kamran said investigators were examining the possibility that a gang, rather than a single individual, was involved. MM News reported that police identified the figure referred to in the first information report as “Boss” as Waheed, a resident of Okara with eight criminal cases registered against him.
Legal steps and political reaction
The DIG said the women underwent medical examinations after giving their consent and recorded statements before a magistrate under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, helped by the embassies of the Netherlands and Spain. He apologised because a station house officer had gone to the official residence of a magistrate late at night to obtain orders so the statements could be recorded before the women left Pakistan. Police said the women later left for Europe.
Kamran said authorities received “strict instructions from the government” that the minister-linked suspect should not be treated differently, and that Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had directed that the suspects be dealt with on “100 per cent merit”. He rejected speculation about the case and said a criminal case had been registered at the Defence C police station on the complaint of one of the women.
Why it matters
The case drew national and international attention because of the political profile of one suspect and the question of whether he would receive preferential treatment. Police and the provincial government publicly stressed that the investigation would proceed on evidence, while the case raised wider questions about the security of foreign visitors and the handling of high-profile prosecutions.
What is still uncertain
The suspects have not been convicted. Police said further legal steps would be based on forensic and DNA findings. The precise charges, the role of the alleged “Boss” and the full facts remain to be established in court. Claims about political connections are allegations that have not been tested in court.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent reporting. Details are as carried by the cited sources, which were reviewed on 2026-07-05.
- The Express Tribune — "Lahore DIG says 'minister-linked suspect' treated like any other criminal in foreign women case"5 July 2026 · The DIG's account of the investigation, the suspects and the rescue.
- MM News — "Police reveal identity of mysterious 'boss' in foreign women kidnapping, assault case"5 July 2026 · The identification of the suspect referred to as "Boss" and the number of arrests.
- Nukta — "Lahore police defend probe into foreign women assault case"5 July 2026 · The rescue timeline, the legal procedures and the police response to criticism.
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