LAHORE  -  The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday summoned the Attorney General for Pakistan in connection with the implementation of the Anti-Rape Act. A three-member bench, headed by LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, issued the orders while hearing a bail application as well as matters related to the implementation of the Anti-Rape Act. At the start of proceedings, Acting Advocate General Punjab Balighur Rehman and Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab appeared before the bench. The acting advocate general presented a report on the implementation of the law, highlighting gaps in the  legislation. However, the full bench questioned the absence of the Attorney General. To which, a deputy attorney general informed the bench that he was unable to appear due to commitments in Islamabad. The bench expressed dissatisfaction, stating that this was a critical issue requiring his presence. It noted that although the law was enacted in 2021, it still contains several flaws. At this stage, the IGP revealed statistics, reporting 5,000 cases of abduction and 7,000 cases of honor killings, among other crimes. He stated that investigators compile reports from crime scenes and that personnel are being recruited and trained to improve investigations. However, he mentioned that certain measures still require cabinet approval. Chief Justice Aalia Neelum expressed disappointment over the lack of efforts to protect victims’ confidentiality, stressing that safeguarding affected women should be a top priority. The court also underscored the importance of preserving video and audio evidence under legal standards. The full bench adjourned the hearing indefinitely, ruling that the Attorney General’s presence in the next session is mandatory.