Investigators in Pakistan are exploring whether a cryptocurrency-related financial dispute may have led to the alleged abduction and gang rape of two foreign women, in a case that has drawn widespread attention because one of the accused is related to Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
The new line of investigation emerged after one of the survivors gave a statement before a judicial magistrate. In her testimony, she alleged that the prime accused, Muhammad Raza Dar, accepted USD 100,000 in exchange for releasing her.
According to Pakistani broadcaster ARY News, which accessed a copy of the statement, the woman said she and her friend were staying at a residence when armed men allegedly forced their way inside. She claimed the attackers confined them to a room, after which Raza Dar repeatedly demanded access to a computer and cryptocurrency assets.
Attackers Searching For Digital Funds
The survivor alleged that the attackers were searching for digital funds. “They asked where the computer with the money was, and I told them it was in the green bag,” she reportedly told the magistrate.
She further claimed that she was struck on the head while being held captive and that the armed men threatened to kill both women if they failed to hand over the money. According to her statement, the suspects told them they would be spared only if the demanded funds were transferred.
The woman also alleged that she was sexually assaulted by two of the accused while another suspect remained on guard. She claimed the men mocked her, slapped her and ordered her to remain silent when she began crying.
The survivor further alleged that Raza Dar used her mobile phone to contact people in her network to arrange money. After initial attempts failed, the mother of the second woman allegedly informed the suspects that USD 100,000 had been arranged. The accused then reportedly told the women they were free to leave after confirming receipt of the payment.
According to the statement, the two women eventually escaped after the vehicle in which they were being taken towards the airport met with an accident.
The alleged victims, a woman from the Netherlands and another from Venezuela, were reportedly abducted in Lahore on June 29. Police have arrested four suspects, while one accused remains absconding. A local court has remanded the arrested men to five days of police custody.
Investigators have also revealed that Raza Dar allegedly met the two women in Singapore last year. Police believe the three were involved in a cryptocurrency venture, and that Dar later arranged business visas to facilitate the women’s visit to Pakistan.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are examining whether the alleged crimes were linked to a financial dispute over cryptocurrency holdings.
