A Lahore court has directed an Azerbaijani woman to appear before a magistrate on Monday, September 28, to record her statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure in an alleged rape case.
The case came up for hearing at Lahore’s Cantt Kacheri, where police presented the foreign national before Duty Magistrate Aram Yousaf. Police said the woman filed a complaint at Defence C Police Station, alleging that she had been sexually assaulted.
During Sunday’s hearing, the court ordered the investigation officer to take the woman before the relevant magistrate on September 28 to record her statement.
The court noted that Sunday was a public holiday and that courts could not hear regular cases apart from remand-related matters. It therefore deferred the statement and directed the woman to appear before the magistrate the next day.
Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure allows a magistrate to record a person’s statement during an investigation. The statement becomes part of the case record and may be considered during further investigation and court proceedings.
The court also directed police to continue searching for the suspects named in the case. Police were told to serve notices on the suspects once they are located.
Police are continuing to investigate the allegations and collect evidence. The woman’s statement before the magistrate is expected to become an important part of the investigation record.
No court has found any accused person guilty at this stage, and the allegations remain under investigation. The facts of the case and the responsibility of those named will be determined through the legal process.
The woman is expected to record her statement before the relevant magistrate on September 28 in line with the court’s order.
