On 14 August 2021, Ayesha Akram, a social media celebrity, was sexually assaulted by a crowd at Minar-e-Pakistan, Lahore, Pakistan.
[1][2][3] In a video recording of the incident that went viral days later, the crowd was seen picking up the woman, throwing her up in the air between them, tearing off her clothes, and assaulting and groping her.
[6] Ayesha Akram, a nurse by profession[7] and freelance TikToker and YouTube vlogger, was attacked, molested, and looted, along with her team members, by a large crowd in the evening of 14 August 2021.
[8]In her first information report, Akram stated that she and her six companions were shooting a video near the monument when the mob of around 300 to 400 people surrounded and attacked them.
[5] Amnesty stated that it was "alarmed by the assault of a woman in Lahore in broad daylight on 14 August", explaining that "at a time when the country is reeling from the murder of Noor Mukadam and Qurat ul Ain, [the] episode compounds the horror even more.
"[14] Many celebrities took to social media to express outrage and ask higher-ups to serve justice to Akram, with some left completely stunned over the perceived audacity of the perpetrators.
[4][32] In a video interview given to Deutsche Welle, journalist Arzoo Kazmi commented that following Akram's assault, Pakistani society was sliding back into regressive, "conservative" policies like those of the Zia-ul-Haq era, noting how restrictions on women's freedom of movement and education lead to disrespectful behavior towards women in public places.
[33] Many politicians and public figures, including activists, celebrities, and members of civil society, condemned the incident on social and mainstream media.
[32] Some sectors of Pakistani society said the victim and her friend had invited fans and that her boldness displayed in her TikTok videos contributed to the incident.
[41] Raja said a cursory study of Muttahida Ulema Board approved Single National Curriculum textbooks since 2020 indicated that girls and women in hijab or purdah who would not seek to enjoy freedoms like music and singing have become the resumed standard of the idealised 'good woman/child' and that the assaulted woman at Minar-e-Pakistan failed that norm.
[18] According to journalist Rajaa Moini, Akram was physically assaulted and faced exceedingly negative scrutiny because for many Pakistanis, her visibility on TikTok – freely accessing "digital freedoms" – was construed to mean that she had questionable morals, which validated the attack to prevent cultural degradation.
[43] Vlogger Maria Amir noted that having video evidence go viral on social media is not beneficial to the victim of the situation, but is often the only way to attract public attention and assemble enough indignation to motivate authorities to take action.
"[43] Moini noted that gendered treatment of the word azad holds "a unique place in the Urdu lexicon, inspiring equal levels of reverence, pride, and in the context of women, utter hostility and revulsion."
"[44] Media and feminists also questioned and expressed outrage over harassment against women in another set of seven cases in and around Lahore since the Minar-e-Pakistan incident, including the harassment of a woman traveling by rickshaw in Lahore on pre-Independence Day evening, a man removing his pants to taunt a woman in another,[45][46][47] and the mockery of Pakistani actress Mehwish Hayat's Independence Day message by discussing the colour of her bra beneath her traditional Kurta top.
[53][54] On 20 August 2021, the Punjab government issued the medical examination report of Akram which confirmed details of her injuries after being assaulted.
[55] According to a medicolegal report, she was found to have dozens of bruises and scratches on the body including her chest, waist, legs and elbow, plus inflammation on the neck and hands.
[60] A sessions court led by Ishrat Abbas issued non bailable warrants against seven non-appearing suspects, additionally rescheduling the hearing to 30 September 2022.