Lahore authorities have announced strict measures to curb the filing of false sexual assault cases, with offenders facing up to three years in prison under the Anti-Rape Act.
The city’s Investigation Wing has started formulating Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for implementing the law effectively, and the police says filing a false rape case under the Anti-Rape Act will be punishable.
According to police records, 47% of sexual assault cases reported this year in Lahore were dismissed as baseless. In over 400 cases, investigations revealed that 70 accused individuals were innocent. Currently, 800 cases are under investigation, while the remaining investigation reports have been submitted to courts.
Police officials highlighted that the plaintiff against individuals filing false cases will either be the investigating officer or the victim themselves. A formal decision on this procedural detail is expected soon.
“The implementation of provisions under the Anti-Rape Act will significantly reduce the number of false cases,” said a police spokesperson.
