06/07/2026
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06/07/2026
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ISLAMABAD, Jul 6: What began as a promising business trip to explore cryptocurrency investment opportunities in Pakistan turned into what two Dutch women describe as a terrifying ordeal of kidnapping, repeated sexual assault, torture and extortion.
A 35-year-old businesswoman from Zaanstad, in the Netherlands, and her female companion have accused a group of men of luring them to Pakistan under the guise of arranging meetings with cryptocurrency investors before holding them captive for several days. Pakistani authorities have arrested four suspects, including the grandson of a prominent politician, while another suspect remains at large.
According to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, the woman accepted an invitation from the politician's grandson, who allegedly promised to introduce her to potential investors interested in supporting her business. The suspect reportedly arranged the women's visas and met them when they arrived in Pakistan on June 26.
The women said they initially stayed in Islamabad, where they believed they were preparing for business meetings. After spending several days in the capital, they were told they would travel to Lahore for further discussions with investors.
Instead, they allege they were driven to an abandoned house on the outskirts of Lahore, where the situation quickly turned into a nightmare.
Armed Men Storm House
In a statement shared with De Telegraaf, the Dutch woman said armed men burst into the house shortly after they arrived.
"After fifteen minutes, four men came in aggressively with guns and ropes and tied me up with my hands behind my back. They screamed and beat me and my girlfriend."
She alleged that the politician's grandson pretended to be another victim during the attack in an apparent effort to conceal his involvement.
The women said they were beaten, tied up and threatened before their captors began demanding huge sums of money.
Million-Dollar Ransom Demands
According to the victim, the kidnappers initially demanded $200,000, but the ransom demands quickly escalated.
The suspects allegedly increased their demands from $700,000 to $1 million, eventually demanding as much as $2 million while threatening to kill the women if payment was not made.
The Dutch woman claimed the gang also threatened to harvest and sell their organs if the ransom was not paid.
"He insisted, otherwise he would kill me," she recalled.
Days of Captivity
The victims allege they were held captive inside the house under constant armed guard.
One of the women said an armed man repeatedly sexually assaulted and harassed her while she was being forced to send voice messages to her family pleading for money.
She said her hands remained tied behind her back for the first 12 hours, leaving her completely dependent on her captors even for basic needs.
"If I had to go to the toilet, they pulled my pants down for me."
The women also alleged they were repeatedly raped throughout their captivity while their captors continued demanding more money.
Secret Code Alerted Family
Despite being under constant surveillance, the woman managed to alert her family by using a secret code word they had agreed upon before her trip in case she ever found herself in danger.
Recognizing the coded message, her family immediately contacted police authorities.
She also managed to send additional coded voice messages to friends, ensuring multiple people knew something was seriously wrong.
According to the report, the kidnappers also accessed her mobile phone and transferred approximately $17,000 worth of cryptocurrency into their own digital wallet before continuing to demand additional payments.
Dramatic Escape
The women said their captors eventually claimed enough money had been received and agreed to drive them to the airport.
However, while en route, the vehicle allegedly driven by the politician's grandson collided with another car.
Believing they were not actually being taken to the airport, the women seized the opportunity to escape.
"We ran screaming into a garage. My friend had grabbed our passports and I had our mobile phones."
The woman immediately contacted her parents, who again alerted police.
Rescue and Arrests
A traffic police officer responded to the scene and called for additional officers.
Still deeply traumatized and fearing they could no longer trust anyone, the women initially panicked and even jumped out of the responding police vehicle before a female police officer succeeded in calming them down.
The officer escorted them safely to a police station, where investigators recorded detailed statements about the alleged crimes.
Pakistani authorities have since arrested four suspects, including the politician's grandson, while a fifth suspect remains on the run.
Police said investigators are continuing to examine the allegations, recover the allegedly stolen cryptocurrency and determine whether additional suspects were involved.
Dutch Government Assisting Victims
A spokeswoman for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the government is providing consular assistance to the two women.
"Due to privacy, the ministry cannot comment further on individual cases," the spokeswoman said.
Pakistani investigators say the case remains under active investigation, with authorities working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged kidnapping, sexual assaults, ransom demands and cryptocurrency theft. If proven, the allegations would rank among the most serious criminal cases involving foreign nationals reported in Pakistan in recent years.
