Guidance

Pakistan: information for victims of rape and sexual assault

Updated 31 March 2023

If you’ve been sexually assaulted it’s important to remember that it was not your fault. Rape and sexual assault is always wrong – no matter who commits it or where it happens. It is traumatic and it can affect you both physically and emotionally. Do not be afraid to get help.

First steps

It is your choice about what you do next, but this information may help you in coming to a decision. The most important thing is to make sure that you are as safe as you can be. You can:

• contact the international emergency number on 15. Standards of service and response times vary.
• contact the British High Commission in Islamabad or the British Deputy High Commission in Karachi on +92 (0)51 201 2000. Consular staff will be empathetic, and non-judgmental, and can provide information on local police and medical procedures. Anything you tell them will be treated in the strictest confidence. They can contact your family or friends for you, if you wish

If you want to report the incident to the police in Pakistan

Before you go to the police station

Attitudes towards rape and sexual assault may differ depending on where the offence occurs. Police responses are likely to differ significantly from the UK. You will need to decide the best course of action for you, but there is support available.

If you are in Pakistan as part of an organised tour then your tour operator should be able to arrange for someone to support you. You can also ask a friend or relative to accompany you to the police station.

If you are in Islamabad or Karachi, the British High Commission will try to send a consular officer to support you, where timing and location allow. You will always be able to speak to trained consular staff on the telephone 24/7.

If you approach the police directly, you can also ask them to inform the British High Commission on +92 (0)51 201 2000 and they can offer you consular support.

If you choose to report the crime, try to do so as soon as possible, so forensic evidence can be retained.

Washing yourself or your clothes may make it difficult for the police to obtain forensic evidence. If you change your clothes, take those you were wearing to the police. You may wish to preserve evidence by retaining items such as condoms, toothbrushes, or texts.

At the police station

Tell the police if you think you have been drugged.

Ask for a police report, and request a translation in English if applicable.

The police in Pakistan do not generally have the same approach to rape and sexual assault cases as in the UK. They are unlikely to have specialised training on treating victims sensitively and their questioning may therefore feel intrusive or judgemental.

The British High Commission is here to support you but consular staff cannot give legal advice. If you are accused of having an illegal relationship, you should seek advice from a lawyer.

Wilful sexual intercourse outside of marriage or “fornication” is illegal in Pakistan. However, there is specific protection in law for victims of rape. A case where an allegation of rape has been made is not allowed to be converted into a complaint of fornication or any similar offence.

Consumption of alcohol by Muslims is illegal. This does not apply to non-Muslims, who can buy and consume alcohol.

Sexual assault of men is poorly understood locally. Male victims, particularly adult men, are likely to have difficulty making a police report. Homosexuality is illegal and punishable by up to ten years imprisonment and/or a fine.

There is legal protection against marital rape but in practice this concept is not well understood by the police. They may consider it to be a family matter.

There should be a female police officer present in any case of sexual assault or rape. If there are no female police officers at the police station, the investigating officer should call for one. This is usually possible in big cities but you may have to wait or return to the police station later. In more remote areas, a female officer may not be available at any time. There are low numbers of female police officers, especially outside the main cities.

The investigating officer should record the report in the presence of a female police officer or another person. You can choose to be accompanied by a friend or family member.

If you feel unable to visit the police station, the investigating officer can record the information at your home or somewhere else. A female police officer or someone else that you choose should be there.

All police officers speak Urdu with other local languages spoken depending on the area. In major cities, most police officers can speak some English but usually not fluently. In some cases it may be necessary to call an interpreter. There may be a wait time and particularly in more remote areas the police may not provide an interpreter. If possible, you should be accompanied by someone who knows the local language.

Rape and sexual assault are “cognizable offences”. This means that the police can start an investigation and make arrests without permission from a court. Anyone who knows about a cognizable offence can report it by filing a First Information Report (FIR). The police are required to record it.

The FIR must be filed in the area where the crime took place. It should include:

• your name and address
• the time, date and location of the incident
• the facts of what happened
• names and descriptions of anyone involved, if known
• names and addresses of any witnesses

The police are likely to ask follow up questions so they can add more information to the report.

If you report the crime by speaking to the police they must record what you say in writing. They must read it out to you if you ask them to. You can also submit a written signed statement. You can make a statement in any language.

Once the police report is completed, you need to sign it. You should check all the information is correct before signing it. The report will be written in Urdu. You can ask the police for a translation of the report but they are not required to provide one.

If you cannot read Urdu, you should try to bring someone with you who can to help you check the report. You have a legal right to a copy of the report. You may need to ask for it but you do not need to pay. After you sign the report, the police will start an investigation.

The British High Commission cannot make a report on your behalf, but if the police do not record your report, a consular officer can contact them to register an interest . Consular officers can also contact the police to register an interest after you have made a report. Sometimes registering an interest can help to draw the attention of police officers to your case. It does not mean that the police will have to do anything differently. Consular officers will not contact the police without your consent.

The police will arrange for you to be examined at a government hospital and get a report to be used as evidence for the prosecution. They are likely to keep any clothes which may be evidence of your attack to present to a forensic examiner. They may also keep electronic equipment. This will be returned to you eventually but legal processes are often slow.

Copies of your passport will be taken and kept on record but you do not have to surrender your passport at any stage of the investigation.

If you appoint a lawyer, they will pursue the case on your behalf. This can help the case to move more quickly, however the judicial process in Pakistan tends to move quite slowly. Your lawyer will give you regular reports on the case.

If you choose not to appoint a lawyer, the case should be prosecuted by a public prosecutor on behalf of the government. This can be a very slow process. You are likely to need to speak to the public prosecutor regularly to make sure the case is progressing. The public prosecutor will not automatically provide you with information about the case.

The police in Pakistan will not generally inform the UK police or ask them for information.

After making a statement

The police are not legally required to take you to the crime scene. They may take you to where you think the attacker is located to identify the person. If the police make an arrest, you will be asked to identify the suspect at the police station.

You may have to give an additional statement if more investigation is needed. This will be separate to the original report and you do not need to sign it.

Anyone who is arrested must be taken before a magistrate within 24 hours of the arrest. You will be asked to identify the suspect in front of the magistrate but you will not be expected to make a statement at the hearing. The court can allow the police to keep the suspect in custody for up to 14 days. After this time, the suspect will be remanded in prison until the end of the trial.

The suspect may be released on bail if the court decides that there is insufficient evidence. A suspect who is not initially released on bail could be released later if there are long delays in the trial.

There will usually be several court hearings before the trial but you will not be expected to attend after you have identified the suspect. We always advise that you appoint a lawyer. The lawyer will be given access to the case file and can represent you in court. However, a lawyer cannot testify on your behalf.

Some independent organisations offer pro bono services, including legal assistance, to victims of rape and sexual assault. A list of support organisations is given at the end of this guide.

There are no restrictions on travel after filing a case. You can leave the country at any time.

If you do not want to report the incident to the police in Pakistan

The British embassy or consulate will still be able to help you. This includes:

• helping you to contact your insurance company and/or your family
• accompanying you to the local hospital/medical facility, where possible
• providing you with lists of English-speaking medical facilities, lawyers and translators
• helping you with arrangements to travel back to the UK
• providing you with information on local support in the UK

You can also report the incident to your tour operator, if you’re travelling with one. They may be able to help you, including accompanying you to the local hospital.

All hospitals are required to report all cases of rape and sexual assault to the police and to share the results of examinations with them. You may be able to get treatment for visible injuries at a private hospital if you do not want to be examined specifically for rape/sexual assault. However, private hospitals may refuse to treat you and refer you to a government hospital instead.

It is your choice on whether to report the crime. If you do not report it, your case may not be investigated.

The medical examination: what to expect

Where to go

Only designated government hospitals (“notified medico legal centres”) can carry out medical examinations for rape or sexual assault. If you report the crime to the police, they will arrange for you to be examined at one of these centres.

You can also go directly to a hospital. If you go to a private hospital, they can refer you to a notified medico legal centre.

Examination

If you are a woman, an examination will be carried out by a registered female medico-legal officer (WMLO). If you are a man, you are likely to have difficulty reporting any form of sexual assault and medical examination procedures are not clearly defined.

The examination can only be carried out with your consent and should be free of charge. The WMLO will prepare a report to be used as evidence for the prosecution. The hospital will be required to share this report with the police.

During the medical examination samples will be taken from you for police DNA testing. Samples will also be taken from the clothes you were wearing to be sent for forensic examination - facilities are limited so results can often take some time to come through.

The WMLO will examine your body for marks and injuries. These will be described in the report but there is no requirement for photos to be taken. The report will also describe your general medical condition.

You will be tested for STIs. If you are a woman of reproductive age, you will also be tested for pregnancy. Pregnancy cannot be detected until a minimum of two weeks later, so you may have to go back.

It can be helpful to be accompanied by someone who is familiar with local procedures. If you are in Islamabad or Karachi and want someone to accompany you to the hospital, you can contact the British High Commission to ask for this. Travel by consular staff anywhere other than Islamabad or Karachi requires Pakistani government authority which often takes a week or more to come through. You can also ask a friend or relative.

Treatment

Government hospitals do not generally provide advice on HIV PEP medication (‘Post-exposure Prophylaxis’, a treatment that can prevent HIV infection). However, they can prescribe the medication if you request it.

PEP medication needs to be taken within 72 hours of the incident for it to be effective. The NHS may be able to commence or continue the 28 day treatment if you return to the UK.

Emergency contraception is available over the counter from pharmacies at a low cost. You do not need a prescription or a medical referral.

Emergency contraception needs to be taken within 72 hours of the incident for it to be effective.

You may have to pay for hospital treatment, but you will not be charged for forensic examination or testing.

If you have had medication administered abroad, you should keep the label or make a note of the name of the medication. You can then give it to your local health provider if you return to the UK.

The British High Commission can arrange for you to see a doctor who can give advice on sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and AIDS, and on pregnancy.

If you want to report the incident to the police in the UK

The support available to you, and your access to justice may depend on where you report the crime.

In many countries, you need to report the crime before you leave the country, if you want it to be investigated and police to obtain important evidence. If you want to report the crime after you return to the UK, consular staff can give you information about reporting it via an online portal. They cannot report a crime on your behalf, but they can register an interest in the case. The police are less likely to investigate if you have left Pakistan.

If you are staying in Pakistan and the crime took place there, you should report the crime there. If you are a British national and you need help to report the crime, you can contact the nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate, or the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London.

If you do not report the crime in Pakistan and you return to the UK, you can still report the matter to your local UK police.

The UK police should send the information you provide to Pakistan. However, foreign police forces decide whether to investigate a crime in their jurisdiction and they may not take action.

You can report the crime to the UK police even if you are not seeking an investigation abroad. The UK police can offer you access to victim support in the UK. They may still send some details of the crime to police in Pakistan. This might be necessary in order to protect vulnerable people, or to stop more crimes being committed.

Court procedures in Pakistan: what to expect

If the case goes to trial, you will be called by the court to give evidence and be cross examined by the defence lawyer. If you have left Pakistan you are not expected to return to testify. Courts ordinarily allow evidence to be recorded or given by video-link but facilities vary depending on the area.

If you choose not to appoint a lawyer, the case will be prosecuted by a public prosecutor. You will not be provided with information about the trial, but you can ask a friend or relative to observe and report back to you.

The courts have limited resources and it can often take 2 or 3 years for a trial to conclude. If you or your lawyer are not actively pursuing the case, court procedures are likely to be slower and the case may not progress at all.

Charges are prosecuted by the state and can only be withdrawn by the court. You cannot drop the charges yourself but you do not have a legal responsibility to keep pursuing the case.

If there is insufficient evidence to support a conviction the suspect will be acquitted. Unless the charge is found to be false, the suspect cannot press any counter charges during the proceedings of an ongoing rape trial. However, anyone accused of a crime can raise a defence during the trial, which could include claiming to have been falsely accused.

If the suspect is acquitted, this does not imply that a false accusation has been made. While giving false evidence under oath is prosecutable, any counter charges would need to be supported with credible evidence.

Sentencing

Rape is a criminal offence liable to punishment by death or imprisonment of between 10 and 25 years. The FCDO opposes the use of the death penalty in principle.

Sexual abuse is a criminal offence liable to imprisonment of up to 7 years and/or a fine of up to PKR 500,000.

It is possible for someone convicted of a crime to appeal against their sentence.

Compensation

The criminal court cannot order an offender to pay compensation to you. Any fines paid go to the state, not the victim. It is possible to start civil proceedings to claim for loss or damage.

Support organisations in Pakistan

It is your choice to let people know. If you are ready to talk about it, these organisations may be able to help you.

War Against Rape (WAR)

102 Pearl Crest, 18th C,
4th Commercial Lane,
Zamzama Boulevard,
DHA Phase V,
Karachi
Telephone: +92 21 35373008 / +92 (0)21 35301975
Hours of service: 10am to 5:30pm

Email: waragainstrape.khi@gmail.com

Services: legal support, counselling and rehabilitation.

Primary language is Urdu, English-speaking staff are available.

AGHS Legal Aid Cell

59 – G, Gulberg III, Lahore
Telephone: +92 (0)42 358422567
Hours of service: 9am to 5pm

Email: aghs@brain.net.pk

Services: legal aid in cases of human rights violation, assistance for women in securing rights under family law, assistance for victims of abuse of due process of law, assistance for women and children in prisons.

Primary language is Urdu, English-speaking staff are available.

Sahil

Office no 13,
First floor, Al-Babar Centre,
F-8 Markaz,
Islamabad
Telephone: +92 51 2260636, +92 51 2856950
0800 13518 (toll free), +92 51 2850574 (direct line for counselling)
Hours of service: 9am to 5pm

Services: free legal aid for victims or child sexual abuse and violence against women, network of referral lawyers across Pakistan, self-help.

Primary language is Urdu, English-speaking staff are available.

When you return to the UK

If you believe you may be at risk of having contracted a sexually transmitted infection (STI), you should ask your local health provider to test you. You should do this even if you have been tested in the country where the assault took place.

You may want to let your GP or a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) know what has happened to you so that you can talk about the experience and seek further support and advice where you live.

Location	Service
England	NHS Choices website, or search online for ‘NHS SARC’
Scotland	Archway SARC, or phone 0141 211 8175
Wales	New Pathways SARC, or phone 01685 379 310 Ynys Saff Sexual Assault Referral Centre - Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Northern Ireland	Rowan SARC Northern Ireland, or phone 0800 389 4424

Disclaimer

This information has been prepared by UK government officials who are not legally or medically trained. It should therefore never be used as a substitute for professional medical or legal advice. It is intended to help British nationals overseas make their own informed decisions. Neither the UK government nor any official of the Consulate accept liability for any loss or damage which you might suffer as a result of relying on the information supplied.

Medical information has been provided by The Havens Sexual Assault Referral Centres of Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and was accurate at the time of production (2 February 2022).