LAHORE: Two foreign women rescued in Lahore were recovered within two hours after police acted on a kidnapping alert from the Netherlands, authorities said on Thursday.
Police said the operation began after Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif took notice of an emergency report received through Pakistan’s helpline.
The rescued women, nationals of the Netherlands and Venezuela, had travelled to Pakistan to meet friends, according to police. The father of one victim alerted Pakistani authorities from the Netherlands.
According to the First Information Report, the suspects allegedly abducted the women for ransom and demanded $1.5 million for their release. Police said the accused also faces allegations of sexual assault.
A police spokesperson said officers launched the rescue operation soon after receiving the complaint.
Investigators used Safe City surveillance cameras to trace the suspects’ location and recover the victims safely.
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Police said they registered a case at the Defence C Police Station under FIR No. 1560/26. They arrested two suspects while raids continued to arrest other accused.
Authorities said the victims were undergoing medical examinations. Police said further legal action would follow based on the available evidence.
