A Pakistani international student was severely injured in a racially motivated assault near the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow early Sunday morning. Musadiq Ismail, who arrived in the UK in September 2025 to pursue an MSc in International Financial Management at Middlesex University, was walking home around 3:30am when a man began following him, shouting hostile remarks.
The attacker reportedly told Ismail, “You don’t deserve to be here” and “Go back to your country,” before repeatedly pushing him. Initially, Ismail avoided confrontation and continued walking, but after being shoved multiple times, he pushed the man back in self-defense. The assailant then launched a violent attack, punching and beating Ismail, causing his nose to bleed profusely and leaving his clothes soaked in blood.
Several hours later, Ismail reported the incident to the police and was advised to seek medical attention. At the hospital, doctors performed a CT scan and an eye examination, confirming that he had sustained fractures to his face. The following day, Ismail returned to the police station to provide a detailed account of his injuries. The case has been registered under crime reference 0388647/26, but the attacker remains unidentified as the investigation continues.
In a significant development, Ismail expressed his ongoing fear and trauma following the attack. He described the intense pain in the areas where he was struck and voiced disbelief that such violence could occur in Great Britain. He urged the police to treat the case with urgency, identify the perpetrator, and make an immediate arrest to ensure justice.
