Senate echoes with Lahore mob trying to attack woman

Lawmakers slam growing ‘ignorance’ and ‘intolerance’ in country’s society

ISLAMABAD:

The senators on Tuesday condemned the “ignorance” of a mob that attacked a young woman wearing a dress with Arabic calligraphy printed on it, demanding strict action against those who falsely accused her of committing blasphemy.

The incident occurred on Sunday in Lahore’s Ichra Bazaar when police saved a woman sporting a kurta, which superimposed imprints of the Arabic words “beautiful life” by a popular clothing brand that led some to believe they denoted a Quranic verse.

A video circulating on social media captured the terrified woman hiding in a shop, refuting the allegations of blasphemy.

Later, a police team led by Gulberg Circle Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi intervened and saved the woman from the mob.

Among the videos in circulation on social media, the ASP can be seen addressing the angry men with a direct stare, her voice loud and firm, reminding everyone to trust her and her team which has satisfactorily handled similar incidents in the past.

As per the ASP, no blasphemous act had occurred. She, alongside other senior police officials, examined the dress and confirmed that the Arabic calligraphy was indeed unrelated to scripture.

In her statement, the woman rejected the allegations of blasphemy, emphasising her commitment to respecting Islam as she hailed from a religious family.

Speaking in the upper house of parliament, Senator Rubina Khalid of the PPP expressed her concern over the growing intolerance in the country.

Describing the incident in Lahore as an unfortunate one, she said ignorance was spreading in the country’s society.

“There is a major difference between an ignorant and a Muslim,” Rubina added.

The PPP senator pointed that the woman was forced to apologise for wearing an outfit with Arabic calligraphy, which the ignorant mob was unaware of.

“Why was she forced to issue a public apology for something she didn’t do?”

She continued that the kurta worn by the woman superimposed imprints of an Arabic word, but it was compared to a Quranic verse.

Rubina observed that the kurta the young woman was wearing belonged to a brand based in Saudi Arabia. “It’s fine there but here women are harassed in the name of religion.”

Speaking on the matter, MQM-P Senator Faisal Subzwari inquired what kind of a Muslim was someone, who could not identify between a Quranic verse and a simple Arabic word.

He also lamented the growing intolerance in the society, saying that it had become common to hurl accusations of blasphemy against each other.

The MQM-P senator emphasised that using religion to level false allegations was the worst form of disrespect.

“This is a major problem, I wish the house could have completed the legislation over the misuse of blasphemy laws,” he added.

Subzwari asked who was defaming the religion. “Was it that woman or is it the people who despite reading the word falsely accused her?"

The MQM-P senator demanded strict action against the people who level false allegations of blasphemy.

“Islam is a religion of peace and harmony. Our country and religion are defamed by tragic incidents like the one in Lahore.”

Meanwhile, lawmakers belonging to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday protested in the Senate, demanding the immediate release of the party founder, Imran Khan, his wife, and the female activists of the party.

During a session presided over by Deputy Chairman Mirza Afridi, Senator Kamran Murtaza of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Saadia Abbasi of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supported the PTI’s contention for the issuance of a production order for the senators in custody.

At the outset of the session, the PTI senators raised slogans in the house for the release of the party founder and other imprisoned PTI women.

Senator Ali Zafar said that the PTI women supporters were in jails for many months.

He said that the PTI won 90% of the seats in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, but the party was not being allocated the reserved seats it deserved. He warned that stealing the PTI’s seats was against the law and the Constitution.

PTI Senator Faisal Javed said that on Feb 8, the nation reposed full confidence in the PTI founder.
He added that a lack of trust would not end if those with 17 seats came to power.

Later, the PTI senators staged a walkout from the proceedings in protest.

PML-N Senator Saadia supported PTI’s demand for the issuance of the production orders of senators Ijaz Chaudhry and Shibli Faraz.

She also demanded the resignation of the chief election commissioner for failing to conduct transparent elections.

JUI-F’s Kamran Murtaza deplored the treatment meted out to the PTI women supporters.

He said what happened to PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz during the PTI government was wrong, and whatever was happening to the PTI’s women supporters was also wrong.