LAHORE: An investigation has been launched into “social media disinformation” regarding the alleged rape of a college student, as her family and institution have requested that cases be filed under the cybercrime law.
Protests erupted in Lahore on Monday after social media claims surfaced that a young female student had been raped at a girls’ college in Gulberg. Police action to disperse the protests resulted in injuries to several students.
An official inquiry, which deemed the reports false, is expected to prompt the Punjab government to ask relevant authorities to file a case based on the complaint from the alleged victim’s family, who have also refuted the claims.
The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing has formed a committee in response to a complaint from the college administration. The seven-member team, led by Deputy Director Cyber Crime Lahore Waqas Saeed, is tasked with identifying individuals responsible for spreading misinformation on social media.
Inquiry Committee Findings
The inquiry committee, established by the Punjab chief minister, concluded that the allegations of rape were “fake” and attributed the violent protests to social media misinformation, an official told Dawn on Tuesday.
In its preliminary findings, the committee found no evidence of rape. A senior government official indicated that the committee, led by the provincial chief secretary, summoned and recorded statements from police officials, the college principal, the director of the Punjab Group of Colleges, approximately 28 students, and the security guard who was arrested as a primary suspect.
Subsequently, a sub-committee of senior bureaucrats was created to visit the alleged victim and her family. According to officials, the girl denied the rape allegations, and her parents expressed concerns over the misinformation circulating on social media. They claimed that their daughter had “fallen from her bed” and suffered a back fracture on October 2.
The girl’s father stated that she received initial treatment at a private clinic, was then transferred to Lahore General Hospital on October 3, and subsequently moved to Ittefaq Hospital, where she remained in the ICU until October 11. Since then, she has been on bed rest at home.
Student Protests
In Lahore, the Progressive Students Collective (PSC) organized an ‘anti-harassment rally’ from Government College University to the Punjab Assembly. Students from various universities participated in the rally, which began at 11 AM and reached the Punjab Assembly around 1 PM. The predominantly female students chanted slogans against educational administrations for failing to provide a safe environment for women and criticized the non-functional anti-harassment committees mandated by law.
The protesters demanded the formation of a committee, including human rights organization representatives, student representatives, and judges from the Lahore High Court, to investigate the alleged incident and the police’s treatment of student protesters. They also called for the establishment of anti-harassment committees on all campuses.
In Gujrat, a large number of students vandalized the Punjab College and the University of Central Punjab campuses and staged a protest on GT Road. They threw stones at police vehicles and burned tires in front of the boys’ campus of Punjab College near Gurali on the outskirts of Gujrat.
Punjab Assembly Discussion
The alleged incident of rape became a focal point of discussion in the Punjab Assembly, leading to a heated exchange between government and opposition members. Opposition lawmakers Ijaz Shafi, Rana Shehbaz, and retired Col Shoaib accused the government of misleading the public by withholding details about the incident. They expressed regret over the police’s use of water cannons and batons to disperse student protesters outside the assembly building.
A confrontation occurred between Col Shoaib and Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari as she responded to the opposition’s accusations. The minister criticized the opposition for politicizing the issue for personal gain and claimed that misinformation was being used to “spread anarchy” in Lahore.
She stated that all hospital records had been reviewed, and inquiries were made at the homes of three girls sharing the same name as the alleged victim, but none confirmed the incident.
Legal Action
Separately, a petition has been filed in the Lahore High Court concerning the alleged harassment of female students in Punjab’s educational institutions. A citizen, Azam Butt, filed the petition through Advocate Rana Sikandar, referring to the alleged incident while highlighting that harassment of female students has been reported in other institutions as well. The petitioner urged the court to order an investigation into these incidents and direct the Punjab government to ensure the protection of female students.
