Beware of perverts at new Lahore Airport

[piafan]

British woman sexually harassed at airport

By Ghulam Haider & Ali Raza

LAHORE: A British national woman was sexually harassed at the Allama Iqbal International Airport by an employee of a restaurant inside the international departure lounge, The News learnt from sources on Monday.

The incident occurred at the restaurant inside the departure lounge of the AIIA around 7am on July 31, the sources revealed, identifying the victim as 32-year-old Lucy Wickendon (passport No 704672866).

The sources maintained she arrived at the restaurant at 7 am to go to Amsterdam, Holland, on PIA flight PK-765. She placed an order for a cup of tea to the member of staff serving at the table, Sohail Azam. Soon after placing the order she went to ladies toilet upstairs. When she came out of the toilet, she saw Sohail Azam standing near the wash-basin who later stood in her way.

"Sohail Azam said something through immoral gesture but I could not understand what he wanted to say," Wickendon said in her written statement given to the Civil Aviation Authority personnel, adding that when she tried to go out, he blocked her way.

She questioned what he wanted but he continued to give her immoral gestures. "Suddenly I realised what he was asking and I screamed, No," she said, adding that then she managed to rush out of the toilet. Two security personnel of the Airport Security Force (ASF) also reached the spot soon after hearing the screams of the woman and overpowered Sohail Azam.

Sarwar Road police said ASF Company Commander Rao Aslam and Duty Forecasting Officer (DFO) Islam Butt also reached the spot and handed over the culprit, Sohail Azam, to the police. A case under Section 18-7-79 Hudood Ordinance was registered against the accused and he was sent to jail.

The sources said the British woman was so furious and almost all the senior staffers of the CAA including Airport Director Nusratullah reached the spot and tried to calm her down. "The CAA officials succeeded in getting a mild statement in writing from the victim after assuring her that a stringent action would be taken against the culprit," sources claimed.

The restaurant was sealed immediately after the incident but the CAA officials allowed the management to start operations on the pretext that passengers were facing problems just after seven days of the incident, ie on August 7.

Recently, two such incidents have taken place at Wagah Customs check-post, which can be an eye-opener for the authorities concerned and timely action could help avoid happening of any serious incident in future. The Customs authorities tried to hush up both the cases and one of the incidents was not even brought to the notice of the high officials.

Both the incidents took place separately some four to five months ago with an Australian tourist and an American nationality holder Sikh woman. Both the women entered Pakistan from India and reportedly faced sexual harassment at the hands of the Customs officials posted at the Wagah Customs check-post.

The Australian tourist had submitted a written application to one of the inspectors posted at the Customs check-post in which she narrated the entire incident, ie as to how and who harassed her, but the issue was hushed up and no action was taken against the culprit.

The personnel concerned tendered a written apology to the Australian tourist after which the case was closed down. On the other hand, the American nationality holder Sikh woman routed her application through the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, which forwarded the case to their Pakistani counterparts and later the case was transferred to the chairman of Central Board of Revenue. The CBR chairman, sensing the gravity of the issue, immediately suspended a Customs inspector and ordered a detailed probe. Deputy Collector Nadeem Ahsan was appointed to investigate the issue.

Chief Manager Commercial Farid Lodhi, when contacted, said the culprit was handed over to the Sarwar Road police and a case had been registered against him. He said the manager of the restaurant had also been suspended on the charges of negligence. He said the matter was being investigated and an appropriate action would also be taken against the contractor.

Source: The News

[stylo4444]

that's actually kinda funny and sad at the same time...

what a loser that sohail is.

[Nasir]

I wonder what immoral gestures the perv was making.... hmmmm

I guess the kid learnt something from watching "اشاروں کی زبان" on PTV.

[SalamPaks]

that's actually kinda fun and sad at the same time...

what a loser that sohail is.

There is nothing "fun" about this whatsoever. I presume you would agree with me if your mother or sister were faced with this Sohail sicko.

[mohammed younis]

that is just sick!!

cant belive there people like this all over the world

and stylo444 you mentioned it was kind of fun??!!!!!

a women getting harrased there is no fun in that at all

[bagold]

I would like to echo the words of SalamPaks and Mohammed Younis. In fact I was about to use the very same words.

Harassing women is a very serious offence and the book should be thrown at this guy. What kind of impression would have been given to the British woman and the Sikh women about the "Islamic" Republic of Pakistan?

[CoyBoy]

As offensive as the episode was, I wouldnt be surprised if this guy and others like him at airports around the country had tried this on many occasions and succeded while women who felt embarrassd did not report the cases, his luck that this one turned out to be something else.

It may not be common knowledge but many foreigners of both sexes do visit Pakistan for sexual liasons.

[bagold]

"As offensive as the episode was, I wouldnt be surprised if this guy and others like him at airports around the country had tried this on many occasions and succeded while women who felt embarrassd did not report the cases"

I agree and thats what makes this all the more sickening.

[CoyBoy]

Some foreigners encourage such overtures, not that what the guy did was justified, but hookers etc. all are into luring just about anyone.

Once a foreign white woman staying at Sheraton fixed a date with my friends driver while his sisters and mum were busy shopping, according to the driver the entire communication was conducted in "ishara's" because neither did she know a word of Urdu nor he English.

[stylo4444]

that's actually kinda fun and sad at the same time...

what a loser that sohail is.

There is nothing "fun" about this whatsoever. I presume you would agree with me if your mother or sister were faced with this Sohail sicko.

I meant funny...and no I would not agree with something like that. I also said it's sad at the same time.