A Lahore court has granted police a three-day physical remand of a woman accused of facilitating the gang rape of a 22-year-old Azerbaijani tourist, marking a significant development in a case that has raised serious questions about women’s safety and Pakistan’s international reputation.
Judicial Magistrate Azhar Mahmood approved the remand of Muskan on Wednesday after she was presented before the Cantonment Courts under tight security. Prosecutors argued this was her first physical remand and requested custody for further investigation into her alleged role in the horrific crime.
Muskan’s defence lawyer maintained his client’s innocence, claiming her connection to the victim was merely friendship. The lawyer argued that remand should only apply in murder or robbery cases and insisted police had nothing to recover from his client. When the magistrate asked if she wanted a medical examination, Muskan declined.
The case centres on allegations that the Azerbaijani woman, who travelled to Pakistan for business, was gang-raped by three men at a rented apartment in Lahore’s upscale Defence area during the night of September 25-26. The victim’s detailed statement to the court has painted a disturbing picture of betrayal and violence.
According to her testimony recorded under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the woman arrived in Pakistan on September 13, spending time in Faisalabad before reaching Lahore with plans to visit Skardu. Travelling alone, she contacted two women—Nimra and Muskan—through social media to meet in the city.
The victim told the court she met Muskan at a cafe around 11pm, where she was told their mutual friend Nimra was waiting elsewhere. They travelled to Bahria Town, where around 2am, two men identified as Ahmed and Mohsin arrived in a white vehicle.
What followed was a nightmare. The woman alleged that at an apartment, Nimra received between 20,000 and 30,000 rupees from Mohsin, supposedly for a party. When the victim refused the money and alcohol, she was confined to a separate room. Her supposed friends had already left.
The woman said she offered to pay 30,000 rupees herself to leave, but was threatened and blackmailed by a man named Ali Zain. The three men allegedly forced her to drink alcohol, promising to release her afterwards. Instead, she claims Muhammad Ahmed Tanvir, Syed Mohsin Shah, and Syed Ali Zain sexually assaulted her.
She was later pushed from a moving vehicle without her belongings, which included 200,000 rupees in cash and two mobile phones. The men allegedly told her the items would only be returned if she did not report the crime to police. She managed to seek help from passersby and contacted authorities.
Police have arrested two male suspects and conducted raids to apprehend a third. DNA tests are being conducted as part of the investigation. A case has been registered under Section 375A (Gang Rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code at Defence C police station.
In a separate development, Additional Sessions Judge Riffaqat Ali granted interim bail to another female suspect until October 5, barring police from arresting her while directing her to cooperate with the investigation.
The case has sent shockwaves through Pakistani society, particularly given the victim’s status as a foreign businesswoman. The incident raises urgent concerns about the safety of women—both local and foreign—in Pakistan’s major cities, and the potential damage to the country’s efforts to attract international business and tourism.
As investigations continue, authorities face mounting pressure to ensure swift justice and demonstrate that Pakistan takes crimes against women seriously, especially when they involve foreign nationals whose cases can have far-reaching diplomatic and reputational consequences.
