ISLAMABAD: The police in Pakistan’s capital city announced on Saturday that no evidence of sexual assault was discovered in an alleged rape case reported by a woman. The woman had claimed the previous day that she was held at gunpoint by a man on a popular hiking trail in the city after meeting him while searching for employment opportunities.
This incident has once again raised concerns about the safety of residents, particularly women, in the city.
According to the initial police report, the complainant, who resides in Sheikhupura city in the province of Punjab, informed investigators that she had been seeking employment when the suspect, named Nauman, deceived her by offering a position in the education department.
The complainant’s medical report did not show any evidence of sexual assault,” the police said in a Twitter post. “There was a friendship between the complainant and the accused.
The police maintained they were investigating the case “on merit.”
The complainant is reluctant to cooperate with the police and has not provided details of the accused,” said the Twitter post. “Margalla trails are protected with drone surveillance and effective patrolling. The location of the incident is being determined. Police will investigate all aspects of the case.”
Previously, the woman informed the police that the accused had represented himself as an accountant working in the education department and offered assistance in securing a job. Additionally, he demanded Rs50,000 ($180) from her.
She stated that she traveled to Rawalpindi on July 12 and met the suspect on the same day to provide him with her résumé and Rs30,000 ($108) as an advance payment for the job.
This alleged incident comes several months after another case where two men raped a woman in the largest F-9 park in the capital.
According to the police report, the complainant in the previous case was walking in the park when the two men, armed with a gun, took her to a nearby forest. They assaulted the woman, inflicting physical harm, and took turns raping her.
The incident sparked widespread outrage and led to a significant protest by rights activists, members of civil society, and women from various backgrounds at the same park.
Later, the Islamabad police claimed to have encountered and fatally shot the two suspects in a shootout.
