Motorway incident: Lahore police chief under fire for victim-blaming
The Lahore police chief came under fire on Thursday from neitizens after he appeared to blame a victim of alleged gang rape.
The assault took place after mid-night on Thursday.
According to an FIR lodged with the police, the victim was traveling to Gujranwala via motorway with her two kids when she ran out of petrol. Two men smashed her car’s windows, dragged her to a nearby field and assaulted her in front of her kids.
Punjab chief minister Usman Buzdar took notice of the incident and directed police to bring perpetrators of the crime to justice.
Speaking to Dunya News, CCPO Lahore Omar Sheikh blasted the victim, saying why she had chosen to take a wrong route without checking her fuel.
“This woman departed for Gujranwala at 12:30am from Defence area. I am surprised that she being a mother and a lone drive, had not gone straight from busy GT Road to her house. But if she wanted to take this route, she should have first checked her car’s fuel.”
His remarks were met with an angry response from netizens who called for his immediate removal from the key post he was occupying.
Federal Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari also joined the outrage, saying she would take up with the issue.
“For an officer to effectively blame a woman for being gang raped by saying she should have taken the GT Road or question as to why she went out in the night with her children is unacceptable & have taken up this issue. Nothing can ever rationalise the crime of rape. That’s it,” Mazari said.
CCPO Lahore must be removed for his callous remarks blaming the #MotorwayRape victim. If a top police officer can openly engage in victim blaming imagine how junior policemen treat rape survivors. THIS is why women don’t report sexual crimes. #RemoveCCPOLahore
— Ailia Zehra (@AiliaZehra) September 10, 2020
Must apologise on his pathetic statement otherwise remove him and held him accountable for this inhuman response from the head of police who is responsible for protecting every citizen
— Talmeez Khan (@Iamtalmeezkhan) September 10, 2020
This is CCPO Umar Sheikh of the esteemed Punjab Police, for whom one IG has already been let go. This victim blamer is supposed to protect us? pic.twitter.com/yoeZc7kBI0
— Zebunnisa Burki (@zburki) September 10, 2020
Get rid of this CCPO. No woman will receive justice while he sits on that seat.
— Natasha (@OhTripe) September 10, 2020
moto
A classic example of the shameful victim blaming in our society by none other than the CCPO Lahore. If anyone who needs to be sacked it’s him. Blame the woman and be the man. Pathetic! pic.twitter.com/MfNEPczDOu
— Sharmila faruqi (@sharmilafaruqi) September 10, 2020
CCPO Lahore condescendingly victim-blaming the woman for *driving alone* at night, not taking the *safe/crowded route* and not checking her *patrol*. This is coming from the highest office of police – the force that's responsible for our protection. ? pic.twitter.com/m21yPzxLI2
— Sheema Mehkar ? (@SheemaMehkar) September 10, 2020
I wonder if he had said the same thing if his own mother, sister or daughter were #raped #ccpolahore #Lahore #ccpo #PunjabPolice #PTIGovernment pic.twitter.com/ViQLumUZol
— Ahmer Khan (@akahmer) September 10, 2020
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