CCTV Footage Shows Suspect Blocking the Woman’s Way, Knocking Her to the Ground and Physically Assaulting Her
LAHORE, Pakistan: Police have arrested a man accused of assaulting a woman riding a scooter in Lahore’s Mozang area after CCTV footage of the incident circulated widely on social media.
The incident reportedly took place on Thursday along Mozang Link Road. The footage shows a motorcyclist stopping the woman, knocking her off her scooter, slapping her and pulling her hair. A crowd gathered at the scene and intervened to prevent further violence.
Following the video’s circulation, police registered a case at Mozang Police Station on the complaint of the woman’s father and began searching for the suspect.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Operations Faisal Kamran told Independent Urdu that investigators used Safe City surveillance cameras and the motorcycle’s registration number to trace and arrest the suspect, identified as Ghulam Mustafa.
According to the police official, the suspect is a resident of Chiniot who had travelled to Lahore for employment. Kamran said strict legal action would be taken, adding that harassment and violence against women in public places would not be tolerated.
Suspect Offers Explanation
According to police, the suspect claimed that a dispute over overtaking led to the incident. He reportedly said he mistook the scooter rider for a man because she was wearing jeans and a helmet.
However, the woman alleged in her complaint that the man pulled her by the hair, verbally abused and harassed her, and snatched her bag before throwing it to the ground. She said the incident damaged her laptop, which she valued at Rs85,000, and caused a fracture to her nasal bone as well as facial injuries.
Concerns Over Women’s Safety
The incident has renewed concerns about the safety of women travelling on scooters and other vehicles in Pakistan, where the number of women using personal transport has been increasing.
Women’s rights activist Asma Nawaz told that the assault reflected persistent attitudes of male dominance and highlighted the fear women can experience even while travelling on public roads.
She stressed that legal action against those responsible, alongside greater public awareness, was essential to improve women’s safety.
