Increase in registration of cases comes after sexual assault case that occurred in Lahore's Greater Iqbal Park on Aug 14
LAHORE: The provincial capital has recently witnessed an increase — of up to 300% — in the registration of sexual assault cases, Geo News reported Wednesday, citing police records.
The increase in registration of such cases came after the sexual assault case that had occurred in Lahore's Greater Iqbal Park, where 400 suspects had allegedly assaulted a woman, the outlet reported.
In the last one-and-a-half month, 642 cases have been registered, with 323 in August and 319 in September, police's record showed.
DIG Investigation Shariq Jamal Khan said 110 cases were discarded after they turned out to be false, as he noted that sexual assault cases used to take place earlier as well, but women would refrain from lodging an FIR.
"The registration of cases has increased after the Greater Iqbal incident, [...] it has given women the confidence to stand up," the DIG investigation said.
The police officer said investigations were being conducted on merit, while action would be taken against those lodging false cases.
The Minar-e-Pakistan incident
A female TikToker in Lahore's Greater Iqbal Park was assaulted by hundreds of men, with the incident coming to light after a video went viral on social media, showing scores of men attacking her as she went to the park with four of her friends to celebrate Independence Day.
Police had registered a case against 400 people allegedly involved in the incident.
The victim, along with her friends, was making a TikTok video in the park when hordes of men of all ages climbed a fence and attacked the woman.
The victim had told the police that the men groped her, tore off her clothes, beat her, and tossed her in the air. In addition, they robbed her of Rs15,000, snatched her mobile phone and took off her gold ring and studs.