ISLAMABAD: Islamabad-based social media influencer Samiya Hijab has alleged that a man attempted to abduct her outside her home, in an incident that led to a swift response by the capital police.
Within 24 hours, officers arrested the suspect, identified as Hassan Zahid from Lahore, after Samiya reported the ordeal both to the authorities and on social media.
In a video posted on Instagram, Hijab said the suspect had been harassing her for months with threats and demands to marry him. She claimed he appeared outside her residence, snatched her phone, and tried to force her into his car. Hijab said she recorded part of the incident despite being overpowered.
“My mother was ill, my brother wasn’t home. When I stepped outside, he snatched my mobile, sat in his car, and forced me in as well,” she recounted, while stressing that she feared ending up like her friend, TikToker Sana, who was killed earlier this year in Islamabad after allegedly rejecting a proposal.
The Islamabad Capital Territory Police registered a case at Shalimar Police Station under Sections 365, 511, 354, 506(ii), 509, 500, and 392 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The charges include abduction, attempt to commit offence, assault, harassment, defamation, and robbery.
Hijab’s complaint detailed that Zahid had been stalking her for several months, sending repeated gifts, issuing threats, and making persistent phone calls. On 31 August at around 6:30 pm, she alleged Zahid humiliated her in public, slapped her, caused severe trauma, and attempted to forcibly abduct her. She added that he had threatened to kill her if she stepped outside her house.
As evidence, she submitted CCTV footage, a call recording of threats, and her social media video statement. The influencer underwent a medical examination that confirmed signs of physical assault.
In a follow-up video, Hijab confirmed that police deployed officers outside her home after she reported fresh threats from the suspect, who allegedly warned her to withdraw the case or face death. She thanked Islamabad IGP Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and SHOs Shafqat and Ishaq for their quick action.
“He thought he could abduct me, force me to marry him, and nothing would happen. That animal was arrested within 24 hours,” she said.
Hijab remarked: “Before anyone dares cast their eyes upon a sister or daughter, they should think 10,000 times.” She added that she would continue to speak not only for herself but also for “every girl who is feeling unsafe right now.”
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