LAHORE (Kashmir English): An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Lahore on Monday delivered its verdict in the high-profile honey trap and blackmail Khalilur Rehman case, according to reports.
The court sentenced three people, Amna Urooj, Mamnoon Haider, and Zeeshan Shah to seven years in prison based on their involvement in the criminal act. ATC Judge Arshad Jawed dismissed charges against Hasan Shah together with eight other defendants after determining insufficient evidence existed.
The case came to light after Qamar, a well-known figure in the entertainment industry, reported being abducted and robbed in Lahore. On the same day, local police apprehended a 12-member gang allegedly involved in the kidnapping, including the main female suspect.
In September, Qamar submitted an application seeking the return of his stolen belongings. Earlier, Lahore police had also arrested Hasan Shah and his accomplice Rafique in Peshawar, labelling them as key members of a honey trap ring that used women to lure victims before robbing them.
The Qamar case initiated multiple criminal investigations which resulted in police dismantling another criminal operation in the city. The occurrence of similar cases rises at an unfortunate pace in the Punjab region.
A young male named Hamza suffered from the same fraudulent scheme that became the most recent of its kind. According to police, Hamza had befriended a woman named Kainat, who invited him to her flat under the guise of having breakfast together.
When he arrived, three other individuals forced their way in. They reportedly assaulted him, stole his cash and phone while Kainat filmed the attack.
Police have registered a case on Hamza’s complaint and confirmed that the suspects are now in custody as investigations continue.
The rising trend of such scams has raised alarm across the province, with calls for greater public awareness and preventive policing.
