LAHORE: Despite resistance from certain religious factions, Lahore police took action on Friday by filing a First Information Report (FIR) against numerous individuals who harassed a woman for wearing a shirt with Arabic-script print in Ichhra Bazaar a few days ago.
The individuals, who formed a frenzied mob, wrongly accused the woman of “blasphemy” due to confusion between Arabic script and Quranic verses, thus endangering her life. This incident, captured on mobile phone footage and highlighted by international media, brought shame to the country.
Despite pressure to refrain from filing an FIR against the suspects to avoid confrontation with religious groups known for past violent protests, the timely intervention by police, notably ASP Syeda Sheharbano Naqvi, was praised both domestically and internationally for rescuing the woman from the mob.
Government officials supported police action against the perpetrators, emphasizing zero tolerance for such incidents. Recognizing the sensitivity of blasphemy-related issues, authorities stressed the need to uphold the rule of law to prevent atrocities like those in Sialkot and Jaranwala.
Following deliberations in key meetings, police ordered criminal proceedings against the suspects to uphold the law. The FIR includes individuals who incited violence by raising religious slogans.
While ASP Naqvi received praise for her bravery, the contributions of other officers, such as SHO Mohammad Bilal Aarbi and Model Town SP Operations Irtaza Komail, were also crucial in successfully managing the situation and facilitating the woman’s rescue.
Despite the efforts of lower-ranked personnel, their role has not been officially recognized by the department, leading to disappointment among them.
(Islamabad51_Newsdesk)
