A girl has been groped and sexually assaulted by a mob at the Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore on 14th Independence Day. The disturbing videos of the girl being harassed by a group of nearly 400 men went viral on social media.
According to the reports, the girl had gone to Minar-e-Pakistan to film a TikTok video for Independence Day. A mob attacked, groped and sexually assaulted her. The disturbing videos showed the girl was touched by men inappropriately. The groups of men pulled her towards them. The sexual assault on the girl even tore apart her clothes as well.
The incident has sent a shockwave across the country. It has once again raised questions on the safety and security of women in Pakistan.
Update on #minarepakistan incident:
Despite "Ashura" duties, Police is analyzing the video clips and available CCTV footages to identify the culprits & arrest them.
Strong and non-bailable clauses are added in the FIR.
Chief Minister has ordered to arrest all the culprits ASAP
— Azhar Mashwani (@MashwaniAzhar) August 18, 2021
Disgusting, I don’t have any words seriously. Shame on you. #minarepakistan
— Ihtisham Ul Haq (@iihtishamm) August 18, 2021
Speechless! Terribly heinous,words alone are not enough to describe the filth that exists in the society. #minarepakistan
— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial) August 18, 2021
Please stop forwarding the clips of #minarepakistan's mass groping and assault incident, it just can't be well meaning in any way. Please stop retraumatizing survivors through your ignorant efforts of raising awareness via WhatsApp groups and social media platforms. Please STOP!
— Nighat Dad (@nighatdad) August 18, 2021
We cannot continue to bury our heads in the sand. #Pakistan is not safe. Not for our women. Not for our children. Our children aren’t safe from rape even in death. This is the disgusting shameful reality. #MinarePakistan
— Aseefa B Zardari (@AseefaBZ) August 18, 2021
Damn I’m sorry.. I keep forgetting – it was Her fault!! Poor 400 men.. they couldn’t help it. #MinarePakistan
— Mahira Khan (@TheMahiraKhan) August 17, 2021
They didn't care for sanctity of another person's body, they didn't care about sanctity of #MinarePakistan, they didn't care about sanctity of #Muharram and they didn't care that stripping a women carries the death penalty. Laws alone can't fix our moral and social degenaration.
— M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) August 17, 2021
The incident has been trending top on social media under the #minarepakistan, #ayesha,#lahoreincident, #400men, Disgusting. Celebrities, commentators, and politicians have condemned the incident. They have expressed solidarity with the girl. Social media users said that they are embarrassed that such a sickening incident happened on the 14th of August when the nation celebrates the creation of Pakistan.
Read more: PM Imran Khan takes notice of Islamabad couple sexual assault case
Pakistan was built on the fundamentals of human rights; and the safety of lives, dignity, and properties of its citizen. Also at a national monument like Minar-e-Pakistan where the resolution for the creation of Pakistan was passed in 1940.
Social media users said that a shameful incident of sexually assaulting the girl would have pained the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He had called for the protection of the vulnerable in his several speeches.
Netizens say there is an urgent need to re-educate men regarding the sanctity and protection of women. One social media user said that he now has realized that every man has the potential to harass and harm women. Previously, such incidents had set off a debate that if all men should be viewed as potential predators who will harm women whenever possible. Now a score of social media users said that they believe all men tend to sexually harm women.
The assault of a young women by a mob at #minarepakistan should shame every Pakistani. It speaks to a rot in our society. Those responsible must be brought to justice. The women of Pakistan feel insecure and it is all our responsibility to ensure safety and equal rights to all.
— BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) August 18, 2021
The girl screams for help as she’s groped by hundreds of men. There is Azaan going on in the background.
I’m finding it hard to wrap my head around that scenario. #minarepakistan
— Shahveer Jafry (@shahveerjaay) August 17, 2021
Disgusted , Furious , Heartbroken , Ashamed !
Ashamed of being a man today , ashamed that the men of this country keep doing these horrible acts every other day, ashamed that the law of my country does not hang these predators so that this doesn't happen again #MinarePakistan— Farhan Saeed (@farhan_saeed) August 17, 2021
Some talked about if there is a problem in our culture that denigrates women and does not place enough emphasis on men to be respectful towards them. Another user pointed out that the inherent belief in men that only women who are closely associated to them are deserving of respect while others can be sexually harmed, is problematic.
Read more: Woman thrashes man with slippers for sexually harassing her
Lahore Police say they have registered a case against the 400 men. They are hopeful to arrest after identifying them in the video. As per the latest reports, PM Imran Khan IGP Inam Ghani to arrest all the culprits in the video, confirmed Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari in his tweet.
PM @ImranKhanPTI personally spoke to IGPunjab, police is catching all culprits involved in manhandling of female tiktoker in Lahore & those damaging statue of Ranjit Singh at LahoreFort.
These are gross violations of laws & social norms, govt won’t spare a single person involved.— Sayed Z Bukhari (@sayedzbukhari) August 18, 2021
Girl asks her fault for being sexually harassed
In the latest interview, the victims says the mob sexually tortured her from 6.30 pm to 9 pm. Her team called Police twice but they did not show up. She said she was desperately prayed for her life to end as she cried and asked what was her fault to be treated this way.
The girl said that she was properly dressed and had her special dress stitched for 14th August. The violent tossed her in the air as she screamed for help and pleaded them to stop. Undergoing sexual assault for more than 2 hours, she felt unconscious on the ground. Even then they continued to grope her. The girl added that she has never posted vulgar or indecent video on her TikTok account.