February 26, 2024
By Xari Jalil
LAHORE
Civil society strongly condemned the way a woman was harassed and almost attacked by a mob on Sunday in Lahore’s Ichhra Bazaar on allegations of blasphemy. At the same time, the newly elected Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz praised the bravery of Assistant Superintendent (ASP) of Gulberg Shehrbano Naqvi for rescuing the woman from the mob.
In a statement on Monday, Maryam Nawaz said: “Thank you Shehrbano!, we are all proud of you. If ASP Gulberg Shehrbano Naqvi had not arrived in time, there was a risk of an incident,” Maryam said. “I hope that every police officer enthusiastically plays his or her role in ensuring security and safety of citizens with courage. I will call her to my office and give her a pat on the back as she has done a splendid job.”
Meanwhile, civil society while praising the police officer condemned the way the woman had been blindly accused and was brought on the verge of being attacked.
“The woman’s attire had no connection to any religious symbolism or script,” said human rights activist Tanvir Jahan while speaking to Voicepk. “Despite this, these hardline hooligans demanded an apology from the woman. Why was the woman’s apology needed if they were the ones responsible for the reprehensible acts of harassment and jeopardizing her safety?”
Jahan said that it was such ‘bigots’ who should have apologized for their judgment.
“Those who had tried to perpetrate the violence, where she was not even wrong – ought to be identified through surveillance footage, and legal recourse should be pursued against them to ensure accountability and justice,” she added.
Meanwhile, digital and human rights activist, Nighat Dad questioned whether the State was willing and ready to tackle the increasing terrorism and moral policing that was steadily rising even in urban areas.
“This is a question mark on the freedom of women and how they exercise their rights,” she said.
Irfan Mufti, convener of Joint Action Committee (JAC) and human rights defender said that he was very concerned about the rise in militancy and that this was a huge challenge for the government, while it was equally worrying was the way public believed in accusations of blasphemy without even verifying the accusation.
Khawar Mumtaz, the former chairperson of the National Commission for the Status of Women, concurred that it was public behaviour that must be condemned. “Why should she be apologizing?” questioned Mumtaz referring to the woman. “It is those that led the mob who must be punished.”
Mumtaz also spoke of the issue of rising militancy on the streets.
“Can we call for banning the TLP for incitement, false accusations and taking the law into their hands? We can appreciate the police officer for rescuing the girl but still can’t see any reason for her to apologize. The appeasement of extremist elements must end!”
Lauding ASP Shehrbano Naqvi, Mumtaz said she displayed courage in the face of an angry mob.
Social Media
Videos were circulated on social media on Sunday showing the terrified woman seeking refuge in a shop in Ichhra Bazaar to avoid the mob, that was accusing her of wearing a dress that descrated Quranic verses. The video was reminiscent of the chilling reality of past public lynchings related to blasphemy accusations in the country.
The woman was rescued, however, after local shopkeepers tried to mediate the situation, and quick police intervention prevented the mob from becoming violent and attacking the woman.
The situation was fueled by a mistaken belief that the inscription on the woman’s dress was religious or Quranic, but was an ordinary word in Arabic – ‘halwa’ meaning sweet. The shopkeepers were offering shelter and explaining to the crowd that the design was simply decorative calligraphy. Eyewitnesses confirmed that most of the individuals in the mob were not local but rather visitors or passersby – many of them did not bother to read what was actually written.
Meanwhile, the Punjab police have recommended ASP Shehrbano’s name for the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal (QPM), the highest gallantry award for law enforcers in Pakistan.