Women’s Action Forum condemns the “condemned” Pakistan Tower incident

• WAF stated that the incident reminded people that women are still not safe in Pakistan.
• The forum attributed the harassment incidents to a “misogynistic” society.
• Urge Internet users and the media to be considerate when dealing with such issues.

The Women’s Action Forum (WAF) strongly condemned the attack on a woman in Minar-e-Pakistan, Pakistan, calling it “condemable”.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the WAF stated that the attacks on a woman and many other women in Iqbal Park on Independence Day had completely shaken them.

“WAF is shocked and deeply disturbed by the regrettable incident that occurred in Great Iqbal Park (Minar, Pakistan) on August 14, 2021, when a woman and a group of women were subjected to violence by approximately 400 men Assault and harassment for hours. Located in Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore,” the statement read.

The forum stated that this incident reminded people of the terrible fact that women in Pakistan are still insecure, especially in public places in the country, which are “becoming a hotbed of harassment, violence and abuse against women”.

The statement said: “We are shocked by the people in Minar-e-Pakistan and the inhumane behavior they performed on Independence Day, which reflects that the free rulers of this country have violent acts without facing any form of responsibility.”

WAF pointed out that this incident gave the impression that women cannot enjoy national holidays, let alone appear in any public places.

“On the contrary, they [public places] It is a hostile environment that keeps women at risk,” the statement said.

WAF also emphasized that women make up half of the country’s population, but their rights are still denied and they are at risk of being targeted or harassed.

In addition, it pointed out that increasing incidents of violence against women and harassment in public places reinforce the stereotype that women are the safest at home, while the outside world has become an evil that they cannot enter. land”.

The forum blamed the tyranny on a “misogynistic” society and questioned why the Punjab government and authorities were unable to work hard to ensure the safety of women in public places.

It also criticized the media for continuing to disseminate videos of the incident.

The statement read: “The dissemination of such videos under false narratives of dissemination consciousness is very unethical, and the long-term impact on survivors is not considered.”

WAF urges Internet users and the media to be considerate when dealing with such issues in order to prevent victims from suffering, because these clips may continue to haunt them for a long time after the incident.

The statement said: “The irresponsible reposting of such clips is violent reposting on the Internet and must be stopped.”

In addition, the forum also attracted the attention of Punjab’s Chief Minister Usman Buzdal, Punjab’s Police Chief Inan Gani, and Punjab’s Deputy Commissioner Mudasir Riaz Malik, calling them “blatantly Ignore the safety of women in public places and fail to take appropriate measures to avoid this terrible situation.

Lahore women were attacked on August 14

On August 14, a woman in Greater Iqbal Park in Lahore was attacked by hundreds of men.

While the victim and her friend were making a TikTok video in the park, groups of men of all ages climbed up the fence and attacked the woman.

The victim told the police that these people groped her, ripped off her clothes, beat her, and threw her into the air. In addition, they also robbed her of 15,000 rupees, robbed her mobile phone, and removed her gold ring and earrings.

Among the hundreds of men, many of them just stood there and even took a video. Only one person saved the woman and helped her leave the park.

Lawsuits have been filed against 400 people, but no arrests have yet been made.