A local court in Lahore has acquitted all suspects accused of harassing TikToker Ayesha Akram at Greater Iqbal Park after she decided to pardon the men involved.
Additional Sessions Judge Gul Abbas presided over the case, in which Ayesha Akram submitted an affidavit stating her desire to drop the charges. “For the sake of God and His Messenger, I forgive all the accused. I hold no objection to their acquittal,” she stated, emphasizing that her decision was made freely and without any pressure.
The court has scheduled a hearing on August 26 to hear arguments regarding the acquittal pleas of the accused and to review the plaintiff’s statement.
Twelve individuals, including Amir Sohail alias “Rambo,” a friend of Ayesha, had filed for acquittal. The incident, which occurred on August 14, 2021, caused widespread outrage after videos surfaced showing Ayesha being heckled and harassed by a large crowd while filming a TikTok video with her colleagues at Minar-e-Pakistan.
A complaint was filed by Ayesha on August 17 at Lahore’s Lari Adda police station. She reported being harassed by hundreds of people, and fearing for their safety, she and her colleagues tried to escape the crowd. A security guard at Minar-e-Pakistan assisted them by opening a gate to facilitate their exit.
Ayesha also reported being robbed during the harassment; her ring and earrings were taken, and her partner’s mobile phone, ID card, and Rs15,000 were stolen.
The incident drew the attention of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, prompting a high-level meeting led by then-Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to address the issue. As a result, the then Inspector General (IG) Punjab suspended several senior officers for their negligence and delayed response to the incident.
