LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) has granted a 3-day physical remand to three accused individuals involved in the harassment of a woman wearing a dress with Arabic calligraphy print in Ichhra Bazar. The accused, identified as Muhammad Nadeem, Adil Sarwar, and Al Tamash Saqlain, were presented before ATC Judge Arshad Javed by the police, who sought their physical remand for further investigations.
According to the investigating officer, the accused had incited a mob and not only harassed the woman but also attempted to harm her, accusing her of disrespecting religion due to her attire. Prompt police intervention prevented further harm to the woman, who was rescued in time.
Consequently, the court granted a 3-day physical remand of the accused to the police and instructed for their subsequent appearance after the remand period expires.
The incident occurred a few weeks ago, prompting the Ichhra police to register an FIR against numerous identified and unidentified suspects, including those who raised religious slogans and threatened the woman’s life.
Eyewitnesses recounted how a charged mob gathered outside a shop in Ichhra Bazar after allegations surfaced regarding Quranic verses printed on the woman’s shirt. Seeking refuge in a nearby shop, the woman and her husband were shielded by garment traders, despite the print being innocuous and known to them.
The Arabic letters on the woman’s dress bore the word “Halwa,” meaning “beautiful or sweet” in Arabic. A video clip depicting the woman hiding in fear in a shop circulated, capturing the tense atmosphere as the Punjab Police, led by ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi, intervened to safeguard her from the aggressive crowd, ultimately rescuing her from potential harm.
