Police on Tuesday launched raids to arrest eight suspects who allegedly abducted a couple in Hafizabad and subjected them to physical and sexual assault.

The first information report (FIR) was filed by the husband today at the Kasoki Police Station under Sections 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (Unlawful assembly), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354-A (assault or use of criminal force to woman and stripping her of her clothes ), 355 (causing hurt by dangerous means), 365 (kidnapping), 375-A (rape), 382 (theft after preparation made for causing death, hurt or restraint to commit the theft), 496A (enticing away a woman) and 506B (criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The FIR said the incident occurred on April 25 around 7pm when the complainant and his wife were on a motorcycle when they stopped for a bit. As the wife got off the motorcycle, a man came towards them who verbally abused and hit her, it stated.

A group of armed men later arrived and took the couple to a secluded place near a graveyard. The FIR detailed how the couple were subjected to physical violence, sexual assault, and robbery.

The complainant said in the FIR, “We were both tied up and they made me lie down on the ground,” adding that his wife was “gang-raped despite me repeatedly pleading with the suspects to stop”.

The suspects took away two mobile phones, two tola of gold and Rs2,500 in cash, the FIR added.

It further said, “The suspects forced the couple to have sexual intercourse at gunpoint,” adding that they filmed it and blackmailed the victims.

The FIR also said, “We delayed reporting the incident because the suspects had threatened us, saying that if we took legal action or got a medical examination done, they would kill us,” adding that the suspects had uploaded the footage of the assault on the internet.

The husband requested a case to be registered against the culprits for abduction, rape, sexual assault and robbery, saying that the suspects be arrested and punished at the earliest, naming four of the total eight suspects.

Hafizabad District Police Officer Atif Nazeer told Dawn.com that a case was filed against the suspects, who will be arrested within 24 to 48 hours.

“The suspects were being identified using video footage and police raids are currently underway,” he said. “The couple has undergone a medical examination, and investigations into other legal aspects are in process.”

Despite the presence of anti-rape laws — with punishment for rape either resulting in the death penalty or imprisonment of between 10 and 25 years — cases continue to prevail in the country.

In March, Punjab police arrested three suspects for allegedly gang-raping a woman in Lahore, according to a statement by the police.

Earlier this year, the provincial government planned to increase the number of Special Sexual Offences Investigation Units (SSOIUs) across the province to investigate scheduled offences under the Anti-Rape (Investigation & Trial) Act of 2021 and offer better services to women.

Around 150 more units would be added Punjab-wide to probe the scheduled offences in this regard.

Since a large number of cases were being reported and registered, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz instructed Home Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal to enhance the number of units and appoint designated trained officers to help out women complainants.