“Is their masculinity only for women?”
A harrowing video showing a young woman being violently attacked by a man on a Lahore road has sparked outrage online.
The incident took place on Mozang Link Road in Lahore.
The video triggered an eruption of fury among netizens who expressed shock over the attack.
The attacker has been identified as Ghulam Mustafa, who was later tracked down by police.
He was arrested with the help of data gathered from Punjab Safe Cities Authority cameras.
Surveillance footage captured the suspect pulling his motorcycle directly in front of the woman’s scooty.
This happened on the busy road before he launched a vicious physical assault on her.
The attack occurred in full view of several passersby who witnessed the entire incident.
Initial police reports indicate the woman sustained severe facial trauma during the attack.
This reportedly included a fractured nasal bone as part of her injuries.
While the violence itself was deeply disturbing, netizens reserved strong reactions for bystanders too.
Many were angered by onlookers who failed to intervene during the attack.
One user on X called out these onlookers directly in a pointed comment online.
They wrote: “Men who were just standing there should be ashamed.”
Another added: “Is their masculinity only for women?”
Another user commented on how quickly the attack unfolded in front of multiple men, saying:
“A man beats a random girl for no reason for 6-7 secs, multiple men standing a foot away yet no one bothers to stop him.”
This comment highlighted how many expect men to act as protectors in such situations.
Yet no man reportedly stepped forward to help the woman being attacked that day.
One person pointed out the lasting psychological toll such an attack could have on her.
They said the woman is likely to lose her confidence for a long time afterwards.
Another user reflected on the unfairness of the entire situation faced by the victim, writing:
“Imagine just going out on your scooty as a girl in this country and coming home with a broken nose…
“All because a random man did not get his way and decided to beat you up.”
According to one user, even if the attacker believed he was targeting a man, that still would not justify the assault:
“When there’s no fear of punishment, such incidents will keep happening.”
The suspect now faces a criminal case following his arrest by local police.
However, the incident is expected to leave a scar deeper than her physical injuries.
It remains widely acknowledged that navigating public spaces as a woman in Pakistan is difficult.
For women drivers specifically, this difficulty becomes even more pronounced in many cases.
Not long ago, former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry made controversial remarks about women drivers.
He had suggested that women should not drive scooters, claiming they were poor drivers.
Such rhetoric is believed to carry real-world consequences for how women are treated.
