Despite the much-hyped establishment of an anti-violence cell to protect women, and the tall claims made by high-ranking police officials, there’s no letup in incidents of sexual harassment in the city. Last week, media outlets kept buzzing about two separate incidents in which groups of mischievous boys, who had disguised themselves in burqas, were found eve-teasing.

One of these incidents took place at the Greater Iqbal Park where two burqa-clad boys allegedly harassed family visitors. At the time of filing this report, the police had apprehended them. The boys were identified as Subhan and Usman. The police say that the duo chose to conceal their identity so that they could have easy access to the ladies in the park.

In another incident, which took place in the Shadbagh area, a couple of boys, also donning burqas, were said to be harassing schoolgirls in the street. The Shadbagh police arrested the boys, later identified as Habib Dar and Shah Mir.

The police was responding to the complaint lodged by the victims’ parents who also sought quick action against the culprits. As per the police records, the girls had already told their parents about a previous incident where a couple of young men had popped up hiding behind burqas. Consequently, a team of cops reached the spot, nabbed the suspects and took them to the police station.

It is pertinent to note here that the city has seen incidents of harassment of women way too many times before. The Greater Iqbal Park is already dubbed as a no-go area for women, since it’s the place where last year more than 400 men attacked a woman named Aisha Akram, who was there to film a TikTok video on the Independence Day.

It is worth mentioning that a majority of such cases go unreported, since either the victims’ families are scared of losing face, or because the police fail them. Moreover, in most of the reported cases, the accused go scot-free after they force the victims’ families to withdraw the complaints.

It is worth mentioning that a majority of such cases go unreported, since either the victims’ families are scared of losing face in public, or because the police fail them. Moreover, in most of the reported cases, the accused go scot-free after they force the victims’ families to withdraw the complaints.

lthough serious punishments are on the statute for perpetrators of sexual violence — including life imprisonment and death — the number of cases doesn’t seem to be going down.

At the same time, there’s no dearth of people in the society who always blame the victims for the way they dress or behave.

Earlier, a number of incidents of women harassment have been reported in the provincial metropolis. Even government hospitals aren’t safe — some time back, the police booked a man for harassing a female attendant at Jinnah Hospital.

On October 13, 2021, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) claimed to have apprehended a doctor serving at Jinnah Hospital Lahore for blackmailing his female colleagues. According to the FIA, the accused was involved in drugging his female colleagues and then recording obscene videos of them. The agency claimed to have found 50 such video clips on the accused’s cell phone.

Earlier, on September 19, two men were nabbed for sexually harassing a woman on the phone. The suspects identified as Atif and Tayyab had lured her to share her number while playing a game online.

A day before that, a man was arrested for sexually harassing a school teacher in Gulshan-i-Ravi. She was returning home when the suspect followed her on a motorcycle. As she was about to enter her house, the suspect allegedly lowered his trousers in full view.

Talking to TNS, the SSP Investigations, Imran Kishwar says, “Protection of women in our society is the chief duty of the police. In this regard, each and every step for prevention of crimes against them is taken immediately. The minute an incident [of harassment] is reported, the police kick into action.”

According to him, the female Victim Support Officers (VSOs) are providing a timely response and full legal and moral support to the aggrieved women in lodging FIRs, getting medical reports, throughout the investigation process and the hearing of cases in courts.

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