Students in Pakistan continue protests against alleged Lahore campus rape

Students in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore have continued their protests after reports of a rape on a college campus.

Tuesday’s demonstrations, including staging an antiharassment rally, came a day after protests were held on two campuses of the college, which has since been shut down by the provincial government. At least 28 students were injured in clashes with police on Monday.

Protests erupted in Lahore after reports spread online that a student was raped by a security guard at a Punjab College for Women campus.

The incident was first shared on social media over the weekend. Varying accounts state that the rape took place on Thursday or Friday evening in a campus basement.

According to the college, the victim has not been identified because no one has come forward to lodge a formal complaint, adding that no incident has been reported to the police and false information has spread online.

On Monday, police also initially dismissed the online reports as “false” but later said a guard had been accused of a rape, was in custody and an investigation was under way.

On Tuesday, police again called on people with “any information regarding the alleged rape” in Lahore to immediately inform authorities.

Also on Tuesday, the director of the Punjab Group of Colleges, said CCTV footage was checked and there was no record of the incident.

“We ourselves went to several police stations, but no case was reported,” Agha Tahir Ijaz was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper. He added that CCTV footage were shared with the police.

The Progressive Students Collective, the group that called Tuesday’s protest, demanded the formation of a committee that includes independent human rights organisations, student representatives and judges.

In addition to an investigation into the reported rape, they have also demanded the committee investigate the violence that broke out during Monday’s rallies and harassment at Lahore Women’s College.

Students pledged they would continue to protest until safety was brought to college campuses.

“Even if it takes a month, we will continue to come here,” said Adeel, an 18-year-old student from a nearby college who joined Monday’s protest. “Shut the campus down. Hang that guard here.”