Sexual harassment at airport , what was he thinking.
**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 ************).
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:rolleyes: 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:rolleyes: . "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.
whats with women being so uptight these days.
PAK SAR ZAMEEN SHAAD BAAD… ! PAKISTAN…ZINDABAD!