• DPM’s resignation demand “completely baseless”: Sanaullah.
• Says foreign women case being unnecessarily exaggerated.
• Two foreign women reached Lahore on June 29: Lahore DIG.
  

Prime Minister’s Adviser on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah on Sunday termed Senator Faisal Vawda’s demand for Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s resignation “completely baseless” and alleged that efforts were being made to link the foreign women case to the deputy prime minister.

“Faisal Vawda’s demand for the deputy prime minister’s resignation is completely baseless,” said Sanaullah while speaking on Geo News programme ‘Naya Pakistan’.

The case came to the limelight after a first information report (FIR) was registered at Lahore’s Defence C Police Station against five suspects, including Muhammad Raza Dar, identified as the grandson of a high-profile political bigwig, for the alleged kidnapping, extortion, and sexual assault of two foreign nationals — a Spanish and a Dutch.

Referring to the alleged kidnapping and assault case involving two foreign women, Sanaullah said the matter was “being unnecessarily exaggerated”, adding that attempts were being made to turn “a non-issue into an issue.”

Sanaullah further said that “attempts are being made to drag this matter towards Ishaq Dar.”

He said: “Every person is responsible for their own words and actions… a vile mindset is highlighting this matter for a specific purpose.”

Sanaullah said the foreign women’s statements under Section 164 had been recorded and that the investigating agency had complete evidence in the case.

He added that no further evidence was required to submit the challan and proceed with the trial.

“The Section 164 statement is sufficient to secure the conviction of the accused,” Sanaullah said, adding that the foreign women could be called back to Pakistan if required.

CM orders to ensure merit in case

Earlier in the day, Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran said that the Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed authorities to proceed on merit in the case involving the alleged kidnapping of two foreign women.

“The chief minister said the case must be handled on merit and whoever committed the crime will be punished,” said Faisal Kamran while addressing a press conference in Lahore on Sunday.

Addressing the presser, DIG Operations Kamran said the two foreign women arrived in Lahore on June 29 and were allegedly kidnapped soon afterwards.

He said that police launched an investigation after tracing the vehicle involved and examining its travel history through Safe City cameras. He said the vehicle was tracked as it travelled via the motorway to Sargodha, while raids were also conducted in Shahdara and Defence.

Kamran said the first ransom call was received on July 1 from a man identified as Carlos, who informed police that Spanish authorities had also been notified. He added that the Safe City Authority received a call on the emergency helpline the same day.

He said four suspects were arrested on July 2 after police traced phone numbers, vehicle details and location data.

According to a police officer, the women were later taken to the airport by suspect Raza Dar when an altercation occurred near Bhatta Chowk. The vehicle crashed, the women jumped out and took shelter in a filter house, where police subsequently rescued them.

The DIG Operations rejected reports that the women had appeared on their own and said the women had stated that the Punjab Police rescued them.

“The foreign women’s statement is available, and they said Punjab Police rescued them,” the police officer said.

Kamran said statements were recorded in the presence of a magistrate and not under police supervision. After medical examinations and completion of the legal process, the women were allowed to leave the country.

He added that the embassy had requested the women’s early departure, but police asked for one more day to record their statements.

“We told them to give us one more day so their statements could be recorded,” Kamran added.

The DIG Operations also said that when a relative of a major political figure emerged as a suspect, senior officers were informed and the family was contacted to verify the information before further action was taken.