Pakistan's media barred from covering Lahore motorway rape case
Oct 03, 2020
Islamabad [Pakistan], October 3 : The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has barred the news channels from covering the gang rape case of the woman that took place on a motorway in Lahore in September.
According to a report by Samaa TV, the PEMRA referred to the order of a Lahore anti-terrorism court hearing the case while imposing the ban.
Directing the PEMRA chairman to stop coverage of the case, the court said, "It is an offence related to sex, and certainly due to media coverage, concerned victim and her family will also be disgraced."
"In case of non-compliance, PEMRA shall be constrained to initiate legal action," the court ordered.
The Express Tribune had earlier reported that the woman agreed to give her statement to the police and also identify one of the suspects, Shafqat Ali, who was arrested in Okara district's Depalpur.
Earlier, the rape victim had refused to give her statement to the police.
This development came after Pakistan police officer Umar Sheikh had stoked controversy by blaming the victim for the rape on Lahore-Sialkot motorway. In front of the Senate human rights panel, he had said the incident took place as the woman was travelling late night without her husband's permission.
The 30-year old woman was reportedly raped by two men in front of her children on motorway after her car ran out of petrol. The incident resulted in national outrage and protests erupted throughout the country.
