Suspect, who 'assaulted' female scooty rider in Lahore, gets bail

A Lahore court on Saturday granted post-arrest bail to a man who allegedly assaulted a woman riding a scooty on Mozang Ring Road in Lahore.

The incident took place on Thursday and sparked outrage after CCTV footage of the assault circulated on social media.

Police traced the suspect using footage and data from dozens of cameras installed by the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA). He was later arrested and booked in a criminal case.

The Mozang police produced the suspect before the court on Saturday and requested his judicial remand, saying his physical remand was no longer required.

The magistrate, however, granted him bail against a surety bond of Rs100,000, directing that he be released if he was not wanted in any other criminal case.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif expressed displeasure over the court's decision in a post on X. She shared several screenshots of television news reports about the case and wrote “SAD” in capital letters.

Earlier, the chief minister said she had spoken to the girl and told her that she could slap the man as many times as he had slapped her. However, the woman declined the suggestion, Maryam said.

“But she said that, for her, it was enough that the government had made her feel protected, cared for, and assured that justice was on her side,” the chief minister wrote.