All 78 officers and staff at a Lahore police station have been suspended after a 20-year-old woman with intellectual disabilities alleged she was raped there by an assistant sub-inspector.
Key facts
- All 78 officers and staff at Ghaziabad police station in Lahore were suspended.
- A 20-year-old woman with intellectual disabilities alleges she was raped at the station.
- She says an assistant sub-inspector apprehended her and assaulted her on the second floor.
- A Lahore police official said all personnel were responsible for preventing and reporting wrongdoing.
- The move is described as one of Pakistan's biggest-ever disciplinary actions against its police force.
Authorities in Lahore, Pakistan, have suspended all 78 police officers and staff at a precinct following the alleged rape of a 20-year-old woman with intellectual disabilities, according to the Guardian. The mass suspension has been described as one of the country’s biggest-ever disciplinary actions against its police force.
The woman alleges that an assistant sub-inspector apprehended her, took her to Ghaziabad police station, and raped her in a room on the second floor of the building, the Guardian reported.
According to the woman’s family, she disappeared on the street before returning home in tears and stating that she had been sexually assaulted at the station.
A Lahore police official said all personnel at the precinct were responsible for preventing and reporting wrongdoing at the station, framing the sweeping suspension as a matter of collective accountability.
The scale of the disciplinary response reflects the seriousness with which authorities have treated the allegation, with the entire staff of the precinct removed from duty rather than a single individual.
Why it matters
The case raises serious questions about the safety of vulnerable people inside Pakistani police stations, the very places meant to protect them. The unusually large-scale suspension signals how authorities are seeking to demonstrate accountability across an entire precinct rather than isolating blame to one officer.
Frequently asked questions
How many officers were suspended?
According to the Guardian, all 78 police officers and staff at the Lahore precinct were suspended.
Where did the alleged assault take place?
The woman alleges she was taken to Ghaziabad police station in Lahore and raped in a room on the second floor.assault, according to the Guardian.
Who is accused in the case?
The woman alleges that an assistant sub-inspector apprehended her and carried out the assault, the Guardian reported.