This August 14 proved to be a horrific reminder of the fact that women aren’t safe in our society, especially in public spaces. On the very Independence Day itself, Lahore’s Greater Iqbal Park, formerly Minto Park, the historical venue where the Pakistan Resolution was passed, stood witness to an incident that shook the entire nation and put all official declarations and celebrations of freedom to shame. In broad daylight, a lady was mobbed, harassed and molested by hundreds of men, apparently random visitors out on a holiday.

The highly condemnable incident came to light after a video went viral on social media, showing yet again that violence against women is rampant in the society.

Reportedly, the victim was in the park with four friends. They were engaged in making fun videos for TikTok when a group of unruly men jumped a security fence and attacked her. She lost consciousness, but the mob kept molesting her for almost three hours. Shockingly, neither the police nor anyone from among the large crowd tried to intervene. In fact, some people were spotted videoing the incident.

Later, the victim informed the police that she had come to Minar-i-Pakistan dressed in a shalwar kamees in the colours of the national flag, to celebrate the Jashn-i-Azadi. She said she was groped, her dress was torn off and she was tossed in the air. She was also robbed of Rs 15,000 that she was carrying. Besides, her cell phone was snatched, and her gold ring and studs taken away.

She said that her friends had tried to call 15, but got no help. Eventually, the park’s security guard came to her rescue and managed to get her out.

The Lorry Adda police have registered a case against the 400 unidentified assailants, under Sections 354-A, 382, 147, and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The ugly episode belies tall claims by the city police regarding the efficiency of their quick-response (emergency) services. Had the police responded in time, the incident could have been averted.

Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar have taken notice of the incident and ordered the law enforcement agencies to catch the culprits in the shortest possible time. The PM has personally had a word with the Punjab Police inspector general and urged him to take all measures necessary to apprehend the molesters.

CCPO Ghulam Mahmood Dogar says the suspects are being identified using videos of the incident that went viral on social media. A number of photos and videos have already been sent to the NADRA to determine the identities of the people.

Where the Operations Wing of the police failed to respond in time, the Investigations Wing is trying to make up for it. Four of the suspects have already been arrested. Talking to TNS, SSP Mansoor Aman, who is heading the probe, said a “breakthrough has been made. We’ve apprehended four of the culprits. They were identified from the footage circulating on social media and recorded by the Safe City Authority cameras installed at the park.”

According to Aman, two of the apprehended men are residents of Lahore. The other two belong to other parts of the Punjab. He speaks of a dozen other suspects who have been rounded up by the police. “The accused are being investigated and we hope that others involved [in the incident] will also be nabbed shortly.”

Aman says that during the geo-fencing of the crime scene, the police had collected the record of cellular phone connections of more than 28,000 people. “Sifting through this record to identify the 400 culprits is a time-consuming job,” he says. “It requires time, energy and resources. Besides, the validity and efficacy of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA)’s data in this regard is not up to the mark. We’re doing our best!”

CCPO Ghulam Mahmood Dogar seconds Aman, saying that the suspects are being identified using videos of the incident that went viral on social media. Besides, a number of photos and videos have been sent to the NADRA to determine their identities.

Assad Abbas Butt, a lawyer, says the culprits are unlikely to get easy bail. He says that Section 354-A of the PPC provides that whoever assaults or uses criminal force against a woman and strips her of her clothes, and in that condition, exposes her to public, shall be sentenced to death or imprisoned for life, and shall be liable to heavy fine.

TNS has learnt that the IGP Inam Ghani has taken serious notice of the irresponsibility and slackness shown by the police in the Greater Iqbal Park incident. On Friday evening, he transferred the Operations SSP, Syed Nadeem Abbas, and the Additional SP in charge of City, Hassan Jahangir, and ordered them to report to the Central Police Office. The Badami Bagh SDPO, Umair Haider, and Lorry Adda SHO, Muhammad Jamil, have been suspended from service.

Besides, DIG operations Sajid Kiani has been removed from his post.

The writer is a senior journalist and can be reached at ahsanzia155@gmail.com