A Pakistani woman police officer is earning praises for her swift action to diffuse a potentially violent situation in Lahore. In a widely shared video, Assistant Superintendent of Police Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi was seen saving a woman from a mob.
The woman was targeted by a mob who accused her of blasphemy, mistaking the Arabic prints on her kurta for Quranic verses. The police were called to a local restaurant, where the woman, accompanied by her husband, was asked to take off her kurta.
The police, including Ms Naqvi, responded to the call. A video showed ASP Naqvi trying to clear the confusion surrounding the kurta, before safely escorting the woman away from the mob.
On the incident, Ms Naqvi said: "The woman had gone for shopping with her husband. She had worn a kurta that had some words written on it. When some people saw it they asked her to remove the kurta. There was a confusion.”
Her role in pacifying the angry mob and safely escorting the accused woman out of the restaurant has earned her praise and recognition.
Inspector General of Punjab Usman Anwar officially stated that Ms Naqvi's name has been recommended for the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal (QPM), the highest gallantry award for law enforcement in Pakistan, citing her "heroic deed", stating, “ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi, the brave SDPO of Gulbarg Lahore, put her life in danger to rescue a woman from a violent crowd.”
Watch the video here:
Ms Naqvi is also being praised online for her bravery.
A user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote, "You are braver than those cowards who are harassing innocent women. I acknowledge your bravery. Hats off to you, and more power to you. Stay strong; we are with you. Your resilience in the face of such despicable behaviour is truly inspiring."
Another user stated, “God bless you, sister. You've done an extraordinary job and saved the life. May Almighty curse the people who tried to mould the situation into crisis.”
“An excellent job by an ASP for a change. This is how police should be. well done,” read a comment.
Someone else praised, “Huge respect for this police officer. Brave lady,” while another added, “Salute to this Brave Woman.”
Users also expressed pride and support, with comments such as "Proud of her sir she deserves more…" and "She really deserves this award."
“ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi is the face I wish every Pakistani had become.” another comment read.
The accused woman, who was taken to the police station, later apologised for unintentionally hurting religious sentiments. She stated, "I had no intentions of insulting anyone's religious sentiments. I bought the kurta just because it had a good design.”
