According to authorities, while recording a TikTok video in Pakistan, a woman was severely beaten, tossed into the air, and had her clothing taken from her.
The anonymous lady said she was shooting at a park in Lahore on Saturday when she was attacked by a throng of up to 400 guys.
A video of the incident has gone viral on social media, showing a woman being violently snatched up and carried through a crowd of hundreds gathering at Minar-e-Pakistan to commemorate the end of British colonial rule.
Shocking beyond imagination!
— Major Surendra Poonia (@MajorPoonia) August 18, 2021
400 men groping,beating & tearing cloth of 1 tiktoker girl in #MinarePakistan
Girl screaming for help.. Azaan going on in the background
These Vultures are no less than Talibanis
This is Naya Pakistan..Shameful pic.twitter.com/PBYWqAWvon
During the battle, the lady, who works as a TikToker in Pakistan, said she and six others sought to flee the throng when 300 to 400 individuals "attacked us" and "assaulted us violently"
"The crowd was huge and people were scaling the enclosure and coming towards us," she told police, according to a first information report (FIR) filed at the Lorry Adda police station and reported by Pakistani newspaper Dawn.
"People were yanking and pulling on my garments to the point of tearing them. Several individuals attempted to assist me, but the throng was too large, and I was repeatedly thrown into the air "she said.
During the fight, the lady said her ring and earrings were "forcibly taken" along with a phone belonging to a man she was with, his identity card, and Rs15,000 in cash.
I am very disappointed. How can I be sure that I am a good man?۔ I m Sorry, I m ashamed 😑😔#minarepakistan #Lahore pic.twitter.com/qzqjNb2GFJ
— 🇵🇸🇵🇰 عین الف (@alifgrw) August 17, 2021
On Tuesday, Lahore police filed a complaint against hundreds of unidentified individuals for allegedly beating and stealing from the woman and her six friends.
According to Dawn, the FIR was filed under the Pakistan Penal Code sections 354 A (assault or use of criminal force against a woman and stripping her of her clothes), 382 (theft after preparation for causing death, hurt, or restraint in order to commit the theft), 147 (rioting), and 149 (unlawful assembly).
Sajid Kiyani, DIG Operations in Lahore, has directed the superintendent of police to take "immediate legal action" against the suspects in the incident.
"The suspects should be traced with the help of the footage," Kiyani said in a statement released by police. Those who "violated women's honor and harassed them will be brought within the ambit of the law," will face legal consequences, he stressed.
Hundreds of thousands of people have seen the video of the attack on Twitter and TikTok, with many expressing their fear, disgust, and outrage at the assault. The incident has reignited a national conversation about women's rights and protection.
The violence was denounced by Taha Saleem, Deputy Commissioner of the Karachi Central District, who described the footage as "an abhorring image of our society."
"The #MinarePakistan incident is not a one-time occurrence. My staff advised me to close large parks, such as Hill Park and Jheel Park, for families during Eid. Because comparable instances have been recorded in the past. I'm curious as to how low we can go "Saleem sent out a tweet on Wednesday.
In a tweet, the same day, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, chairman of the Pakistan People's Party and the Pakistan Human Rights Committee, stated the attack "should shame every Pakistani"
He went on to say, "It speaks to a rot in our society," "Those who are culpable must be held accountable. Pakistani women are insecure, and it is our collective obligation to protect their safety and equal rights."
TikTok, a video-sharing company, has been banned in Pakistan on multiple occasions for reportedly allowing "inappropriate content" on its platform.
