Women harassment incidents reported at Minar-e-Pakistan once again

Multiple incidents of harassment against women were once again reported at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore on the occasion of the country’s 75th Independence Day, Express Tribune reported.

According to details, the police could not handle the situation due to a large number of men involved in the despicable act despite the fact that over 800 personnel were deputed at the national monument.

The men, who accompanied the women, also got into heated arguments with the harassers. At one point, clubs were used by them to disperse the mob.

However, the suspects managed to flee the scene before the police could catch them. Later, police also baton-charged those present at the Azadi Bridge.

This is not the first time such an incident happened at Minar-e-Pakistan. Last year, a female TikToker, along with her companions, was harassed and assaulted by a mob in Lahore’s Greater Iqbal Park.

The victim stated in her complaint lodged with the Lari Adda police station that she was filming a video near Minar-e-Pakistan along with her friends when a mob of around 400 people attacked them.

She alleged that the mob picked her up and started tossing her in the air. “I was stripped and my clothes were torn apart,” she said.

The incident has sparked outrage nationwide. Then prime minister Imran Khan, while taking notice of the incident, spoke with Punjab IGP about it.

Then human rights minister Shireen Mazari also condemned the assault and harassment. “We need to try and change such violent behavioural patterns in our people,” she remarked.

Mazari also urged “effective implementation” of laws to have “some deterrent effect” on people’s behaviour.

However, she maintained that the main challenge was changing the ‘mindset’ of the people to stop crimes against “all vulnerable members of our society”.