Incidents of assault aren’t too uncommon in Pakistan. However, the need for vigilance arises, even more, when these incidents are public. But what do you do when a woman attacks another woman publicly, while everyone else watches? Well, something similar has happened on a PIA flight.
Recently, people took to social media to talk about this disturbing incident.
A young girl was assaulted by a middle-aged woman who happens to be the AKU Dean’s wife on @Official_PIA flight number 302 today. Several eye witnesses testified to the ruthless thrashing which involved tearing up the victim’s clothes and attacking her with glasses she broke in +
— Mahwash Ajaz 🇵🇰 (@mahwashajaz_) March 3, 2018
the business class kitchen. Her husband who is a reputed doc watched without interfering as the attack unfolded. This happened on the plane before takeoff. What will you do about this @AKUGlobal ?@DanyalGilani @Official_PIA
— Mahwash Ajaz 🇵🇰 (@mahwashajaz_) March 3, 2018
As per witness reports, a young girl was assaulted by a reputed hospital’s doctor’s wife. Some even identified the alleged assailant.
https://twitter.com/Saljooq1/status/970209906958708736
A passenger, who was an eyewitness to the events, reported the following:
“I was seated beside the victim on the flight who was extremely respectful, in about her 20s and quiet. I remember right before takeoff, the victim went to the restroom which was located before our seats and right outside the cockpit. Upon her return, she stood in the kitchen and was speaking to cabin crew facing the cockpit. Out of nowhere, a middle-aged woman angrily stormed towards her and grabbed her from the back and neck. Everyone was in complete shock.”
“The victim was defenseless and kept shouting “Who are you. Why are you hurting me? What are you doing? Stop”. Many other bystanders and I rushed to help the victim whose clothes had been completely torn and the victim was being dragged by her hair and she was yelling and crying. The cabin crew was helping the victim when we got there but no air hostesses or women came to the rescue. Since all the help was coming from men, they couldn’t touch the assaulter so they acted as a shield.”
“I, along with the air hostesses begged the assaulter’s husband to help and stop his wife but he just stood there. We were all shocked. The next thing we see is that the assaulter attacked the victim with glasses that were kept in a tray in the kitchen. The captain and cabin crew were trying their best to stop the chaos. Finally, the cabin crew managed to help the victim and take her to the cockpit and then the cockpit door was shut closed with the victim inside and safe. The security was then called and the assaulter was restrained and escorted off the plane. It was appalling and left many passengers shaking with fear. This is something I can never forget.”
The unfolding of events and revelation of who allegedly perpetrated them was, indeed, shocking.
https://twitter.com/Saljooq1/status/969925787636944896
Why the hell did the PIA staff allow it and not have the assaulter taken off the flight? The husband's apathy is deplorable but the staff's silence is worse. What were the other passengers doing? This is so typical of our people: watching awful stuff and not intervening
— Mehr Tarar (@MehrTarar) March 3, 2018
Pakistanis kept expressing their disgust on multiple public forums. The hospital was reached out to as well. Additionally, people reached out to PIA representatives, too.
PIA did eventually respond, confirming the incident.
Security of all parked aircraft is the responsibility of the Airport Security Force. Mid-Air the Captain holds temporary magisterial powers but will hand over PAX as soon as the aircraft lands. In this case the assaulter was handed over to ASF by PIA
— PIA (@Official_PIA) March 3, 2018
However, people were still shocked at how such a high ranking doctor could allegedly watch as his wife attacked another woman. Moreover, disgust was expressed at the assailant, who attacked the woman in such a brutal way.
People couldn’t help but wonder how the victim was doing.
Any news on the victim? Is she okay? Must be traumatised. May God give her strength!
— Mariam Mansab (@AnsariMariam) March 4, 2018
Moreover, they were simply taken aback by the incident itself.
tf is going on?
— D. (@dee_zeeee) March 3, 2018
What’s wrong with people
— Hassan Malik 🏎 (@HassanWMalik) March 3, 2018
Once this spread to other social media platforms, people expressed their disbelief and disgust there as well.
They even weighed in on what happened during the incident.
And speculated as to why more people weren’t talking about it.
As we all wait for a more detailed report of what went down, it’s important to focus on making as much noise about this as possible. We have to ask ourselves: can people keep walking away from such horrifying instances without facing any consequences? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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