COAS Syed Asim Munir meets ASP Shehrbano Naqvi

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Hafiz Asim Munir met with Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Gulberg area Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi at General Headquarters (GHQ), who recently saved a woman from a violent mob in Lahore’s Ichhra Bazaar. The Chief of Army Staff praised ASP Shehrbano Naqvi for her selfless dedication and professionalism in handling an uncertain situation during her duty.

ISPR Statement 

According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), fearless officer Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi safely rescued a woman from an angry mob in Ichhra Bazar, Lahore, on February 26, 2024.

Furthermore, the COAS stated that “women are playing an important role in all aspects of life.” Since independence, women have distinguished themselves at home and abroad through their ability, perseverance, and determination.

COAS also highlighted that;

“Women are an invaluable part of Pakistani society, and respect for them is embedded in both our religion and social values.”

The Chief of Army Staff also emphasized the importance of social harmony and the need for nationwide consensus to avoid intolerance.

COAS stressed the importance of following the law and cautioned against taking the law into one’s hands when there were legal channels available to resolve issues and complaints.

The Army Chief emphasized that;

“Arbitrary heretical actions undermine society’s vision.”

COAS also highlighted the eternal message of Islam’s benevolence. He also appreciated the sacrifices made by the law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of the citizens of Pakistan.

Background Details of the Incident

According to ASP Shehrbano Naqvi, at 01:30 PM, a call was made on 15 that a woman was wearing an indecent dress in Pakistan Chowk, which is within the boundaries of Ichhra, Lahore, and something had been written on her that hurt the religious sentiments of the people, and people have surrounded this woman. People have surrounded and debated this woman.

According to the ASP, when we arrive at the location, the lady is hiding inside the shop and is instructed to wear an abaya and take off her clothing right now. So we told this woman that she should wear an abaya and not take off her dress.

The streets are very narrow there, and it is not a big deal for people to gather in such large numbers at once. There was concern that people would set fire to the shop, but no one asked this woman what was written on the dress she was wearing.

We had to shout out so that people would pay attention to us and the journey we had to take, which was long mentally but short visually. We take such calls extremely seriously. When such incidents occur, we notify the nearest police station that you have arrived at. Most importantly, do not allow confusion to spread.

We identified a miscreant in this incident, and unfortunately, he did not fire his gun, despite having a loaded pistol and claiming he had to kill this lady. We took his pistol and engaged him.

It is critical to verify reports of such incidents added ASP. We did not keep the woman at the Ichhra police station after rescuing her; instead, we took her to another safe location and called the stakeholders, clearing their confusion. The woman is now secure with her family.

IG Punjab Police Dr. Usman Anwar Statement

The Inspector General of Punjab Police stated that; “ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi, the brave SDPO of Gulbarg Lahore, put her life in danger to rescue a woman from a violent crowd. For this heroic deed, the Punjab Police has recommended her name for the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal (QPM), the highest gallantry award for law enforcement in Pakistan.”

Startup Pakistans Message

Startup Pakistans salute ASP Shehrbanu Bukhari for putting her own life in danger to save another woman’s life. As an organization, we pledge to always collaborate with Pakistan’s security agencies and support them in their efforts to bring peace to the country. We urge the nation to support security agencies in their efforts to eradicate sectarianism, riots, and terrorism in the country.

Conclusion

One of our duties as responsible citizens is to participate in national debates and support Pakistan’s security forces in their efforts to put an end to rioting. In order to be responsible citizens, we must first determine how much of the accusation is true. If you see an untoward incident, immediately report it to the security forces, trust their investigation, and assist them in any way possible.