According to police reports, a woman in Lahore, Pakistan, was detained by authorities following an incident where she was besieged by a crowd due to her attire featuring Arabic prints, which some individuals mistakenly perceived as Quranic verses.
In widely circulated videos capturing the incident, a local police officer identified as ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi recounted that the woman and her husband were out shopping when the mob demanded she remove the shirt she was wearing, presumably due to the Arabic script adorning it.
ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi's commendable efforts to de-escalate the situation and ensure the woman's safety were lauded by the Punjab Police, who shared footage of the incident and recommended her for the prestigious Quaid-e-Azam Police Medal (QPM), the highest honor for bravery in law enforcement.
A video clip circulating on social media depicted the woman seeking refuge inside a restaurant with police and bystanders surrounding her amid the commotion outside.
Amidst the uproar, numerous users on social media platforms expressed solidarity with the woman, asserting that the Arabic script on her clothing merely consisted of general words or phrases and was not related to religious verses from the Quran. One user provided an image allegedly showcasing the same shirt, sourced from an Instagram page promoting a Ramadan 2022 collection, further supporting the claim that the attire was innocuous.
Following her detainment, the woman issued an apology, clarifying that she had no intention of causing offense or provoking anyone with her choice of attire. Additionally, a Muslim cleric who was present during her apology stated that she had pledged not to wear the shirt again, seeking to alleviate any further tensions stemming from the incident.
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