Lahore assault case involving Raza Dar sees new development

LAHORE: A foreign woman has recorded a detailed statement before a judicial magistrate in connection with a high-profile case involving allegations of kidnapping, extortion, torture and sexual assault in Lahore.

As per the court documents and sources privy to the case, the woman claimed that she had first come into contact with the main accused, Muhammad Raza Dar, at a cryptocurrency conference held in Singapore.

As per her statements, she claimed that the accused Raza Dar  introduced himself as the son of a provincial minister and backed this claim by showing photographs of him posing with various political figures.

She claimed that following the development of business contacts with the accused, she and another foreign national traveled to Pakistan, and after some time, they were both taken to a building wherein various people armed with weapons came in and took them captive.

As per her complaint to the magistrate, she was tied up along with her friend and then brutally beaten and threatened several times. She further claimed that the accused had asked for access to the business accounts and cryptocurrency accounts of the woman along with ransom money in large sums.

The woman said that the accused made her send various messages and voice notes to her relatives for money, and during all this time, she was kept in a different room from her companion.

The statement contains allegations of sexual assault and rape against some of the accused. The complainant alleged that she was repeatedly threatened with violence and death if ransom demands were not met. She also claimed that weapons were displayed and that threats were made throughout the period of captivity.

As per the statement, the suspect thereafter took away the women in his car, stating that all the plans for the ransom have already been sorted out. While being in transit, the women were able to take back their passports and escape by jumping out of the moving vehicle owing to an accident on the road.

The complainant further alleged that she and her companion sought help from members of the public and contacted police. She also raised concerns regarding her initial interactions with some police personnel before eventually reaching safety with the assistance of female police officers.