Punjab chief minister reiterates her zero-tolerance policy against violence targeting working women after a female sales assistant was assaulted in Faisalabad.
LAHORE/FAISALABAD: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has reiterated her zero-tolerance policy against harassment and violence targeting working women, warning that wealth, political connections and personal influence will not protect offenders from accountability.
In a statement posted on X on Monday, Maryam said anyone who assaulted a woman trying to earn an honest living would face strict consequences. She added that victims would have the right and opportunity to respond to their attackers, stressing that the government would stand firmly behind vulnerable citizens.
Her remarks followed an assault on a female sales assistant at Kohinoor Plaza in Faisalabad on Nov. 8. According to a first information report (FIR) registered at Madina Town Police Station under Sections 354 and 509 of the Pakistan Penal Code, the woman was working at a lingerie store when an argument reportedly broke out over rent and taxes.
The employee allegedly advised the man to contact the shop owner, explaining that the premises were exclusively for female customers.
Police said CCTV footage showed the suspect pulling the woman from behind the counter, throwing her to the floor and kicking her. He also allegedly threatened and verbally humiliated her. The suspect was arrested on Monday, and legal proceedings were initiated.
A video subsequently shared by Maryam showed the victim slapping the arrested man, reflecting the chief minister’s publicly stated position on dealing with perpetrators of violence against women.
The Faisalabad incident follows several similar cases that have drawn the chief minister’s attention.
In October, a woman riding a scooter on Mozang Link Road in Lahore was allegedly stopped by motorcyclist Syed Mudassir ul Hassan, also known as Ghulam Mustafa. He reportedly pulled her hair, slapped her repeatedly, verbally abused her and threw away her bag containing a laptop worth Rs50,000.
The woman sustained facial injuries, including damage to her nasal bone. Police traced and arrested the suspect with assistance from Punjab Safe Cities Authority cameras.
Maryam later met the victim and encouraged her to slap the attacker in response. However, the woman declined, saying the government’s support and assurance of justice were sufficient.
The accused subsequently secured post-arrest bail against a surety bond of Rs100,000, prompting Maryam to express disappointment and pledge to raise the matter with senior judges.
In another incident, a petrol pump employee in Lahore’s Jubilee Town was assaulted after asking a customer not to smoke on the premises. Maryam shared footage of the arrested suspect being slapped by the employee and criticised the mistreatment of low-income workers.
She has also repeatedly recalled the death of 15-year-old orphan Waseem Abbas, who was run over in Multan, saying the incident continues to haunt her.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has highlighted measures to improve women’s safety, including a dedicated option through Police Helpline 15 for reporting harassment, the Virtual Women Police Station and the revival of Women’s Protection Centres.
Maryam has also directed police leadership to improve performance and ensure accountability. Addressing a scholarship ceremony in Mandi Bahauddin, she declared that no criminal would be spared, regardless of political connections.
Her latest statement reinforces the provincial government’s commitment to protecting working women and ensuring that financial or social influence does not place offenders beyond accountability.
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