CM Maryam orders 'crackdown' on culprits involved in 'fake' Lahore college rape

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced on Wednesday a crackdown on individuals disseminating false information regarding an alleged rape of a girl at a private college in Lahore.

Protests erupted across multiple cities in Punjab, the largest province in Pakistan, as students demanded justice for the alleged crime. Despite the unrest, authorities have repeatedly stated that no sexual assault occurred, and the girl’s family has denied any claims of rape.

During a press conference, the provincial chief minister emphasized that the crackdown should target all those spreading misinformation, regardless of their political affiliations, including members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi's Q-League. 

She accused the former ruling party of inciting chaos and undermining the state, especially during the ongoing Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. “I label them a terrorist organization for a reason. Who will compensate for the distress caused to the child and her family due to the misuse of her name to incite unrest?” she stated, criticizing the Imran Khan-founded PTI.

A high-level committee established by the Punjab government confirmed in its report that the girl had not been raped and that her injuries occurred at home. 

The police have filed a first information report (FIR) at the Defence A Police Station regarding the spread of misinformation and unverified news on social media.

CM Maryam further noted that while the incident was reported on October 10, the girl was not present at her college that day. “Claims were made that the CCTV footage had been deleted. A false narrative was created, followed by a search for a victim who never existed. There were no eyewitnesses because the incident did not happen,” she concluded.