Chitral lady police officers arrest man accused of harassing Kalash women

CHITRAL: Chitral’s women police officers have apprehended a man accused of harassing Kalash’s women and filming the criminal act.

The arrest came a few days after a video went viral on social media showing an unidentified tourist in Chitral’s Kalash valley and harassing local women.

The viral footage showed the man following Kalash women as they tread past him expressing their displeasure at the unwanted advances being hurled their way by the tourist.

The pestering man can be seen asking the women for pictures and making derogatory remarks that are followed by extreme indignation by the victims.

The video drew an angry response from netizens who called for the arrest of the harasser.

Chitral authorities acted swiftly and traced the suspect.

DPO Chitral Mansoor Aman formally announced the arrest of the suspect from Peshawar on Thursday night.

“Chitral’s lady police officers have arrested the suspect, Aimal Khan, from Peshawar,” Mr Aman said.

“The purpose of involving lady police to arrest the accused was to make him realize that women in Chitral were not weak and that that they cannot be harassed,” DPO Aman said, thanking the public for raising the important issue on social media. 

Earlier this week, the DPO office also issued a press release stating following facts.

1) The video is from two years ago and was uploaded on 19th July 2016, as can been in the pictures attached below. This incident was not reported to the police by any of the women involved.

2) SDPO and SHO have instructed the Bumburet police to trace the women in the video and file an FIR against the man.

3) An appeal has also been issued to the Cyber Crime Wing of FIA to assist in tracing the social media profile that posted this video two years earlier.

4) The man that can be seen in the video does not belong to the Chitral police and the suspect’s picture has been sent to all DPO’s. The suspect will be subject to sterner punishment if he turns out to be a police official.

5) To eradicate incidents of sexual harassment, a Women and Children Support Center has been formed in Chitral that will tend to all complaints regarding sexual misdemeanors.

6) DPO Chitral’s phone number 03461119337 has been shared multiple times with the public where complaints can be lodged through SMS as well.

7) In future circumstances regarding similar incidents, the anti-harassment units consisting of Kalash men and women by the police force are to be informed.