F.P. Report
LAHORE: A female police officer was praised and recommended for a gallantry award as she saved a woman wearing Arabic calligraphy-printed dress from a charged mob in Lahore.
The angry crowd shouted slogans after the woman was spotted in Lahore’s Ichhra Bazaar wearing the Arabic calligraphy embroidery dress. Disturbing videos of the incident quickly circulated online, showing the mob confronting the woman while she was dining at a local restaurant on Sunday.
The assault was triggered by allegations that Quranic verses adorned her attire, leading to angry protests and threats from bystanders who were unaware of the true content of the inscription.
Gulberg police circle ASP Shehr Bano rushed to the spot after receiving the information and rescued the woman from the angry mob by shifting her to the police station.
The situation turned ugly after someone alleged that woman’s dress was bearing Quranic verses. However, some shopkeepers defended the woman by saying that the print had nothing to do with Islamic verses and sheltered her in a shop, telling the mob it was just an Arabic calligraphy print.
The garment traders also told the mob that clothing with Arabic calligraphy print was available in the market.
A video clip taking rounds on social media showed that the woman was hiding in a shop shivering with fear of being attacked by the mob.
The footage also showed the woman was denying the allegations of insulting the religion, saying the clothing with Arabic calligraphy was commonly used in Gulf states.
After the traders’ explanation, the mob got divided into groups having different views, still some people kept on insisting on “blasphemy” charge.
On this, the witnesses said, one of the traders called the police to avert any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, some police officials reached the spot and sensing sensitive issue, reported it to their high-ups who ordered them to act quickly and rescue the woman.
A police team engaged the crowd and ASP Shehr Bano took the woman into protective custody and shifted her to the police station amid tight security.
The police officers explained that the meaning of one of the word ‘Halwa’ written in Arabic calligraphy on the dress the woman was wearing was not a holy word.
Later ASP Gulberg circle briefed the media that the alphabets on the shirt of the woman was wearing had nothing to do with Quranic verses. Later the woman in her statement strongly rejected the allegations of committing blasphemy, saying she could not even think of disrespecting Islam as she was from a religious family.
The IG Punjab while praising the timely action of ASP Shehr Bano, told the media that recommendation is being sent to the government to award Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal to ASP Gulberg Shahr Bano Naqvi for safely evacuating the woman from the angry crowd.
