ISLAMABAD – Outrage over kidnapping, ransom demand, and gang rape of two foreign women in Lahore reached the doors of the Supreme Court as the Judicial Activism Panel filed a constitutional petition urging a judicial commission headed by a sitting Supreme Court judge for a transparent inquiry that can restore public confidence in the justice system.
Judicial Activism Panel (JAP) demanded immediate formation of a Judicial Commission headed by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to investigate the alleged kidnapping for ransom and gang rape of two foreign women in Lahore, warning that the case has evolved into a test of Pakistan’s judicial independence, constitutional governance, and international credibility.
In a constitutional petition filed under Section 3 of the Pakistan Commissions of Inquiry Act, 2017, Advocate Supreme Court Mohammad Azhar Siddique, along with Muhammad & Ahmad (Constitutional, Corporate & Tax Counsel), argued that the matter extends far beyond a criminal investigation and raises serious questions about institutional accountability and the functioning of state authorities.
The petition stated that alleged abduction and sexual assault of the two foreign nationals has severely damaged Pakistan’s global image and calls for an independent investigation free from political or institutional influence. It urges authorities to identify not only the alleged attackers but also anyone accused of facilitating, protecting, benefiting from, or interfering in the investigation, including influential individuals and public office holders if evidence establishes their involvement.
The registration of an FIR alone cannot satisfy the demands of justice in a case carrying national and international implications. It contends that only a Supreme Court-supervised judicial commission can ensure transparency, accountability, and public confidence in the investigation.
The application alleges violations of fundamental rights protected under Articles 4, 9, 10-A, 14, and 25 of the Constitution, covering due process, personal liberty, fair trial, human dignity, and equality before the law. It also invokes Article 5, stressing that all state institutions are constitutionally bound to uphold the law.
JAP claims that failures by local police have made an independent judicial inquiry unavoidable. The petition further argues that if any public officials are found to have deliberately undermined constitutional responsibilities, legal consequences, including proceedings under Article 6 where applicable, should be considered.
The panel requested the federal government to constitute a Judicial Commission through an official gazette notification, headed by a sitting Supreme Court judge and operating under a clearly defined mandate with a fixed timeline.
Among its proposed terms of reference, the commission would investigate the alleged kidnapping, ransom demands, and gang rape of the two foreign women; identify all suspected perpetrators and facilitators; examine the conduct of police, prosecutors, the Punjab Home Department, and other relevant institutions; determine whether outside influence affected the investigation; and probe the circumstances surrounding the reported raid on the judicial magistrate’s residence.
The petition also calls on the federal cabinet to seek investigative and forensic assistance from Scotland Yard, INTERPOL, and international forensic experts, citing Scotland Yard’s previous role in the investigation of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s assassination as a precedent for international cooperation.
JAP also requested that the commission’s final report be released publicly and include recommendations for legal and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening safeguards for women, foreign nationals, judicial officers, crime victims, and the criminal justice system.
Warning against political interference, the panel said any attempt to shield influential individuals from accountability would undermine constitutional supremacy and the rule of law. It cautioned that continued delays and interference in the investigation risk further eroding public trust in state institutions.
The plea comes as Punjab police continue investigating four men accused of kidnapping two foreign women, a Dutch national and a Venezuelan national, allegedly sexually assaulting them and demanding a ransom of $1.5 million. According to investigators, the women had travelled to Pakistan after accepting an invitation from a Pakistani acquaintance they met in Singapore.
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