Last Updated on October 24, 2026 by YeJahan
YEJAHAN REPORT
LAHORE (Oct 23): Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has intervened in a high-profile gang-rape investigation following reports that a wealthy family allegedly offered a multi-million-rupee bribe to silence the victim.
While the Chief Minister did not explicitly name the parties involved in her social media statement, her intervention coincides with the public retraction of a 20-year-old Azerbaijani national, Diana Rumik qizi Baghiyeva, who recently withdrew her accusations against three men, including a primary suspect identified as Tanveer.
The Chief Minister’s statement
In a statement published on X (formerly Twitter), Maryam Nawaz raised sharp concerns over institutional corruption and the financial exploitation of sexual assault survivors.
“In a recent rape case, it was revealed that the accused’s wealthy family allegedly offered 1.5–2 crore to the victim in exchange for withdrawing her allegations, despite her statement already having been recorded under Section 164,” the Chief Minister stated.
In a recent rape case, it was revealed that the accused’s wealthy family allegedly offered 1.5–2 crore to the victim in exchange for withdrawing her allegations, despite her statement already having been recorded under Section 164. It was further alleged that the judge who granted bail to the accused had also been bribed. If these allegations are true, they raise deeply disturbing questions about the integrity of the justice system and the vulnerability of rape survivors to financial pressure and the misuse of power. I will continue to keep a close eye on such cases to ensure that no rapist or perpetrator escapes justice simply because he has money, influence, or connections. Justice must never be for sale, and no one should be above the law.
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) October 23, 2026
“It was further alleged that the judge who granted bail to the accused had also been bribed. If these allegations are true, they raise deeply disturbing questions about the integrity of the justice system and the vulnerability of rape survivors to financial pressure and the misuse of power.”
The Chief Minister pledged that the provincial government would rigorously pursue cases of violence against women to prevent influential suspects from evading accountability. “Justice must never be for sale, and no one should be above the law,” she added.
Coinciding timeline and retraction
Maryam’s remarks closely followed a video broadcast by Pakistani media networks featuring Baghiyeva. In the footage, the Azerbaijani citizen reversed her prior legal stance, claiming her initial allegations were made under duress. She further asserted that she was pressured to leave Pakistan without the opportunity to pursue her case legally, demanding that criminal proceedings against Tanveer be dropped immediately. Diana’s retraction occurred on the same day police reportedly arrested Tanveer, despite a prior bail order.
Case background according to the FIR
According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered in Lahore two unidentified women reportedly invited Baghiyeva to a local cafe, where they met three male acquaintances. The group then moved to a private apartment, where Baghiyeva was allegedly given a beverage laced with an intoxicating substance. The FIR states she was subsequently gang-raped by the three men throughout the night.
The suspects allegedly abandoned her near the Lahore airport before fleeing the scene. They also reportedly stole her iPhone and another high-end mobile device.
On September 29, 2026, Diana recorded her statement before a Lahore court under Section 164 of the CrPC, describing her alleged ordeal after arriving in Pakistan from Istanbul. This statement she retracted on October 23, 2026.
Provincial authorities have not yet confirmed if a formal inquiry has been launched into the allegations of judicial bribery and witness tampering.
Copyright YeJahan News Network, 2026
