The investigation into an alleged gang-rape in Karachi’s Clifton area took a twist on Wednesday as the prime accused was stated to be an influential person’s son.

The accused lured the victim into a ‘relationship’ and on the day of the incident, he picked her and his accomplice from a shopping mall in Clifton.

They went to an apartment where she was subjected to gang-raped and after an hour, they dropped the victim back to the same spot, leaving her to find her way home.  

She lodged the report a day after the incident, police said. The watchman was arrested, the lawmen said, adding the accused went into hiding in interior Sindh and special squads were out in the hunt for them.

The crime comes to spotlight days after Prime Minister Imran Khan called for sex attackers to be castrated. This he said in response to a question in connection with a women’s gang-rape in front of her children on Motorway. 

Pakistan has been plagued by episodes of rape over the years. Victims are often treated as criminals or blamed for the assaults. Human rights activists have long said that government officials have never bothered to address the issue in a comprehensive way.