ISLAMABAD – Judicial Activism Panel (JAP) called for Judicial Commission of Inquiry, led by sitting judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to investigate the alleged kidnapping for ransom and gang rape of two foreign women in Lahore, the reported midnight raid on the official residence of a serving judicial magistrate, and the conduct of law enforcement and other state institutions in the case.
A constitutional application filed under Section 3 of the Pakistan Commissions of Inquiry Act, 2017, Advocate Supreme Court Azhar Siddique, along with Muhammad & Ahmad (Constitutional, Corporate & Tax Counsel), argued that the case raises issues extending beyond criminal allegations to constitutional governance, judicial independence, institutional accountability, and Pakistan’s international image.
According to application, the alleged abduction and sexual assault of two foreign nationals has significantly affected Pakistan’s reputation internationally and requires an independent and transparent investigation. The petition alleges that influential individuals may have attempted to interfere with the investigation and calls for an inquiry into the role of all alleged perpetrators, facilitators, abettors, beneficiaries, and any politically connected or public office holders linked to the case.
The application condemns the reported midnight armed raid on the residence of a serving judicial magistrate, describing it as an attack on judicial independence and the constitutional framework. It argues that any interference with judicial officers warrants independent judicial scrutiny.
Panel contends that registering a First Information Report (FIR) alone is insufficient in a case of such national and international significance, maintaining that only a Supreme Court-supervised judicial commission can ensure transparency and restore public confidence in the justice system.
The petition alleges violations of several fundamental rights guaranteed under Pakistan’s Constitution, including Articles 4, 9, 10-A, 14, and 25, relating to due process, personal security, fair trial, human dignity, and equality before the law. It also refers to Article 5, emphasizing the constitutional obligation of all citizens and state institutions to obey the Constitution and the law.
According to the application, the apparent failure of local police to fulfill constitutional and legal responsibilities has made an independent judicial inquiry imperative. It further argues that deliberate disregard of constitutional obligations could potentially attract proceedings under Article 6 of the Constitution against those found responsible for undermining the constitutional order.
Judicial Activism Panel urged the federal government to notify, through the Official Gazette, a Judicial Commission headed by a sitting Supreme Court judge with clearly defined terms of reference and a time-bound mandate.
The proposed commission has been asked to investigate the alleged kidnapping for ransom and gang rape of the two foreign nationals, identify all alleged perpetrators and facilitators, examine the conduct of police, prosecutors, the Home Department, and other relevant institutions, investigate any alleged external influence over the investigation, and inquire into the circumstances surrounding the reported raid on the judicial magistrate’s residence.
The application further requests federal cabinet to seek investigative and forensic assistance from the Metropolitan Police Service (Scotland Yard), INTERPOL, and international forensic experts, citing Scotland Yard’s previous involvement in the investigation into the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto as precedent for international cooperation.
The petition seeks immediate preservation of all evidence, including Punjab Safe Cities Authority surveillance footage, call data records, medico-legal reports, DNA evidence, and statements recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. It also calls for legal action against any official found responsible for concealing, destroying, manipulating, or suppressing evidence.
It also sought protection for the victims and witnesses and requested coordination with the diplomatic missions of the Netherlands, Venezuela, and Spain in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963. It has also demanded criminal, disciplinary, and departmental proceedings against any police officers, prosecutors, Home Department officials, or other public servants found guilty of negligence or misconduct.
The petition further requests that the commission’s final report be made public and that it recommend legal and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening protections for women, foreign nationals, crime victims, judicial officers, and the justice system while proposing safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Warning against political interference, the Judicial Activism Panel stated that shielding influential individuals from accountability would undermine the rule of law and constitutional supremacy. It added that delays in justice and interference in criminal investigations represent a failure of the state’s constitutional obligations and warned that the absence of an independent and transparent inquiry could further erode public trust in state institutions.
The constitutional application has been signed by Advocate Supreme Court Mohammad Azhar Siddique and co-counsel Ahmad Imran Ghazi, Mian Ashhad Ali Azhar, Mian Shabir Ismail, Munir Ahmad, Mohammad Irfan, Salma Riaz, Amna Liaqat, Syed Mahfooz Ali Bukhari, Muhammad Irfan Wattoo, and Gohar Yasin Khan. A copy has also been submitted to the Registrar of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The application comes as Punjab authorities continue to investigate four men accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting, and demanding a $1.5 million ransom for two foreign women, a Dutch and a Venezuelan national, who had traveled to Pakistan after being invited by a Pakistani acquaintance they met in Singapore.
The women were rescued in Lahore after one victim’s father contacted Pakistani authorities from Spain. Police traced the suspects through surveillance footage and arrested all four accused, who are currently on five-day physical remand. Investigators have collected forensic evidence, while prosecutors say the case includes allegations of gang rape, unlawful confinement, and ransom demands.
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