A woman suffered injuries after leaping from a motorbike in motion in Lahore’s Johar Town, to get away from alleged harassment by a ride-hailing rider, police and CCTV footage indicate. Police said the incident happened on October 17.
The woman had booked a trip starting at F-2 in Johar Town and heading for Watto Palace. Police said the rider allegedly tried to behave inappropriately towards her during the journey.
Injuries and police case after the Johar Town incident
CCTV footage reportedly shows the woman jumping from the moving motorcycle. She was hurt in the fall, with injuries to her face, nose, throat and head. After she jumped, the rider sped away from the scene.
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The woman’s brother later filed a complaint against the rider, which led to a case being registered, police said. Authorities have not yet released further details about the suspect’s identity or how the investigation is progressing.
Earlier harassment cases reported in Lahore
The incident came less than a week after another alleged attack in the Mozang area of the provincial capital. Reports said that on October 24, Mozang police had arrested a man accused of assaulting a woman riding a scooter on Mozang Link Road.
Police alleged that the suspect blocked the woman’s path, knocked her off the scooter, slapped her and pulled her hair, injuring her face and nose. That case was registered on a complaint from the woman’s father. Separately, a ride-hailing driver was accused in August 2024 of sexually assaulting a female passenger in Lahore before fleeing.
Punjab introduces QR-code panic buttons for public transport
Reports said the Punjab government has introduced measures to improve passenger safety. Earlier this month, QR-code panic buttons were installed in 82,000 rickshaws, cabs and public transport vehicles, allowing women to seek emergency help in cases of harassment or other threats. Officials also said a tracking system is being installed in online cabs, and that services failing to adopt the required safety features would face action.
Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Lahore Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi said traffic teams were working at 45 locations across the city to install the buttons. Teams had been deployed in every traffic sector, and 12 dedicated teams were assigned to fit the buttons in rickshaws. He said the installation had been made mandatory to bring public transport within the regulatory framework, and that women can scan the codes to get immediate assistance.
