Punjab IG failed to prevent viral video from inciting student protests: LHC CJ

The Lahore High Court expressed strong dissatisfaction with IG Punjab Usman Anwar over the delayed response to incidents of harassment of female students in educational institutions.

At a hearing today, the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court questioned IG Anwar’s actions, particularly his department’s inability to prevent a viral video from sparking protests.

The Chief Justice noted: “Where were you on October 14 and 15? Why didn’t you prevent the video from going viral and prevent the students from taking to the streets?”

IG Anwar, summoned by the court, defended his actions and explained that they immediately contacted the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) after becoming aware of the viral content.

However, the Chief Justice was unimpressed, pointing out that the video had already spread to more than 700 social media accounts before any action was taken. “You wake up when everything has burned. Why didn’t you take action sooner?” the Chief Justice added.

The court further criticized the inability to shut down websites hosting the viral content despite requests from authorities.

Noting that platforms like TikTok, Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) still had the objectionable material available, the Chief Justice termed it a clear failure on the part of the police and PTA.

The court has ordered IG Punjab to provide a detailed account of his department’s actions on October 14 and 15, demanding answers as to why the situation was allowed to escalate without intervention.

The hearing has sparked a broader discussion on the responsibilities of law enforcement agencies and digital authorities in preventing and controlling incidents of harassment, especially in educational institutions.