66 rounded up after assault on woman TikToker in Lahore

LAHORE: At least 66 people have been arrested so far over their alleged involvement in the assault on a female TikToker at Lahore’s Greater Iqbal Park on Independence Day, police said on Saturday, as yet another video of a group of men violently attacking a woman in a public park emerged.

On Independence Day, a young woman was filmed being assaulted by a mob at Minar-e-Pakistan, the viral footage of her ordeal led to widespread outrage and calls for justice on social media.

According to Geo News, Deputy Inspector General (Investigations) Shariq Jamal on Saturday said the suspects were narrowed down using geo-fencing and Nadra-aided facial identification, and more than 300 people had been questioned in the case thus far.

Then, with “digital mobile forensics”, the 66 who were determined to be present at the location were arrested, of which 40 were sent for an identification parade after being produced in court, Jamal said.

The police officer said the TikToker who was attacked and her colleagues would identify the suspects during the parade and the remaining suspects “will also be arrested soon”.

Meanwhile, Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill confirmed that 66 people had been arrested in the Minar-e-Pakistan incident.

A day earlier, Punjab police chief Inam Ghani tweeted that two police officials were suspended, whereas the divisional superintendent of police, senior superintendent of police (operations) and deputy inspector general (operations) Lahore “have been removed from their posts”. “Strict departmental action will be taken once Enquiry Committee submits its detailed report on the role and response of other officers insha Allah,” he added.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar spoke to Geo News on Saturday, and said preliminary investigations found that the three removed police officers did not reach the spot, questioning their failure to do so. “Why did not the SSP and SP visit Iqbal Park?” Buzdar asked, and said top officers had always been removed from their posts following major incidents.

He warned authorities to perform “or pack their bags”, and said if the officers were found to be negligent on August 13 and 14, they would be punished. “We talk less and act more,” said the Punjab Chief Minister. He also warned top officials to come to office on time.

On Saturday, another video emerged showing a group of men physically assaulting an unidentified woman in a park in Lahore. The woman appears to be getting slapped and punched by men and an older woman tries to free her to no avail. It is not clear when the video was recorded, but the woman was wearing green and white. The DIG Lahore has taken notice of the incident, Geo News reported.