An incident of harassment and misconduct occurred during the ongoing sit-in of Lady Health Workers (LHWs) in Peshawar, when several unrelated individuals forcibly entered the protest and misbehaved with the participants.
Speaking to TNN, Ishrat Malik, provincial general secretary of the Shaheen Lady Health Workers, said the protest at Sooray Pul, ongoing since yesterday, has seen participation from female employees across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
She stated that during the evening, as the protesters advanced toward the main gate of the provincial secretariat, some unknown men approached and asked them to end the sit-in and leave the area.
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When the LHWs explained that they were holding a lawful protest to demand their rights, two of the men started abusing them verbally. One of them even claimed to be a police officer, saying, "Do whatever you can. Record our video if you want." The women did record the confrontation, capturing clear footage of the inappropriate behavior.
Malik further revealed that the women were also physically assaulted, including being pushed and punched. She expressed disappointment that although police officials were present at the site since morning, no immediate action was taken against the culprits.
Later, when the incident was reported, the SHO of East Police Station arrived and was briefed about the situation. He confirmed that neither of the men was a police officer and assured that legal action would be taken against them.
The Lady Health Workers subsequently released images of the two individuals and filed a formal complaint, demanding swift justice.
Ishrat Malik also submitted a written application to the East Police Station and urged the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to take notice of the incident.
Meanwhile, police confirmed to TNN that another argument had occurred during the protest when a motorcyclist, reportedly taking a woman to a hospital, clashed with a protester due to the road blockade.
Police say a comprehensive investigation is underway and the unrelated individuals who disrupted the protest will soon be arrested and brought to justice.
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