Pakistani TikToker sexually assaulted by mob of 400 men in public for hours

August 19, 2021

A video showing a woman apparently getting groped and assaulted by a sizable mob in Pakistan has sparked online discussions about the treatment of women in the country.

The complaint: The victim, identified as female TikTok personality Ayesha Akram, went to Lahore’s Greater Iqbal Park with her crew on Aug. 14 to film people celebrating Pakistan’s Independence Day near the Minar-e-Pakistan monument, reported Vice.

Groups of men started approaching Akram’s team, initially asking to take selfies, but it did not take long before the crowd swelled into around 400 men and things spiraled out of control.
The men surrounding Akram started allegedly assaulting her and tearing her clothes off. Individuals also forcibly took her ring and earrings, as well as her friend’s phone and identity card.
“I couldn’t understand anything. The people were torturing and fondling me. There is no part of my body that isn’t covered with bruises,” Akram later told a local outlet.
Some of the men initially appeared to be trying to save her but eventually joined in abusing her.
In her complaint to local authorities, Akram shared how she tried but failed to get away from the unruly crowd, reported the Independent.
“They kept throwing me in the air,” said the victim, adding that even her companions got assaulted violently during the commotion.
Akram registered a police complaint against those in the mob under Sections 354 A, 382, 147 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code, as per Vice. Her attackers would be charged with assault, theft, rioting and unlawful assembly based on her complaint.

Disturbing video: The footage, which emerged on social media, shows a woman unable to move in the middle of a massive crowd closing down on her.

A man is seen wrapping his arms around her before other men joined in, picking her up and carrying her toward the middle of the crowd.
As the woman was carried off, a small boy can be seen throwing something in her direction.
The incident sparked widespread condemnation online, with local personalities and authority figures pointing out the dangers women face in Pakistan.

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Some users, however, claimed that the incident was “planned” and tried to pin the blame on Akram.

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Lahore Police, which registered a case against the unidentified persons for assaulting and stealing on Tuesday, said 300 to 400 men were involved in the assault. They are currently trying to find the culprits by looking at CCTV videos and videos that have circulated online regarding this incident.
Sajid Kiyani, Lahore’s deputy inspector general of operations, condemned the actions of the crowd for violating Akram’s honor and vowed that those involved will be “brought within the ambit of the law.”
According to the police report, the abuse started around 6.30 p.m. and ended at about 9 p.m. when she was finally rescued.

Featured Image via Major Surendra Poonia

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