Multan court convicts man of sexual harassment

Sentences Arshad to five years in prison for blackmailing a woman

ISLAMABAD:

A special court on Wednesday sentenced a man to five-year imprisonment for harassing, black mailing and disseminating objectionable material of a woman.

Multan’s Model Court for Gender Based Violence Judge Muhammad Saeed Rafiq also imposed a fine of Rs1.5 million on convict Muhammad Arshad while also ordering him to pay a compensation of Rs0.5 million to the victim.

The court declared that Arshad, a resident of Jhang, was guilty of sexual harassment, blackmail, and dissemination of objectionable material on social media.

Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Cyber Crime Cell arrested Muhammad Arshad on December 22, 2021 on the complaint of the victim’s father, Abdul Hameed.

The complainant had alleged that Arshad obtained objectionable photos and videos of his daughter after promising to marry her.  He later started blackmailing the victim using explicit material, threatening her to disseminate the content on social media if she did not comply.

The court, after considering witness testimonies, evidence, and legal arguments, convicted the man.

Arslan Khan Advocate, who represented the plaintiff, commended the court's ruling “as a resounding message to potential wrongdoers within society".  He said the judgment reaffirms that harassment of any kind is utterly unacceptable.

“This verdict stands as a testament to the judicial system's unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and dignity of individuals, sending a resolute signal that gender-based violence will not be tolerated,” the counsel said.