Woman who accused cricketer Babar Azam of harassment 'survives attempt on life'

In a video statement, the woman urged Prime minister Imran Khan to look into the matter personally

LAHORE:

In a dramatic shift of events, the woman who accused national cricket team captain Babar Azam of sexual harassment claimed to have survived an attempt on her life in the late hours of Sunday evening.

At around 8pm on Sunday, two unidentified motorcyclists allegedly opened fire on Hmiza Mukhtar's car near Kahna, according to the compliant lodged at Kahna Police Station. The assailants fired four shots at Mukhtar's car but she escaped unharmed.

In a video statement posted online following the attack, Mukhtar said she had already demanded police protection. "I urge Prime Minister Imran Khan to personally look into the matter," she maintained.

Mukhtar had a few days ago moved a sessions court in Lahore alleging that the cricketer allegedly blackmailed her and they had fornicated with her consent, with promises of marriage.

She had earlier filed a petition praying upon the court to restrain police officials from 'harassing and blackmailing her and her family members' at the behest of Babar Azam’s family members.

However, on December 5, the police disproved the allegations in a police report submitted in the court of additional district and sessions Judge Abid Raza Khan.

The report revealed that “neither petitioner Hamiza nor her family members were blackmailed and harassed by police at the behest of Azam’s family. So the allegation levelled by her to the extent of ‘harassing, blackmailing and pressuring’ is proved false”.

The judge also disposed off the petition, directing the respondents – Babar Azam’s family members and Defense-A police – to “follow the law as nobody is above the law and remain within the four corners of law and not to cause undue and unlawful harassment to the petitioner”.