ISLAMABAD: Two young men were on Thursday arrested on the complaint of a Canadian national for allegedly harassing her. However, they were released after a few hours as the complainant pardoned them.

Assma Galuta, a humanitarian worker for refugees in different parts of the world and a travel blogger, submitted a complaint to Pakistan Citizens’ Portal on April 15 alleging that two young men in a car harassed her in Bahria Town Phase VII and asked her to get into their vehicle.

They also blocked her way to embark in a cab and later followed her to Islamabad trying to block her vehicle and asking its driver about her destination. She changed her destination and hid in a mall until they left.

The complaint was forwarded to the inspector general of police Islamabad on April 16 which led to the registration of a case.

The police took two days to trace and arrest the suspects, who were students of a university and residents of Bahria Town. When the police informed the complainant about the arrest, she reached the police station and identified the suspects.

However, family members of the two men, including their mothers and sisters, also reached the police station and requested the complainant to pardon them. Besides, the suspects also apologised to her.

The Canadian woman accepted their apology and pardoned the men, the police said. In response, both the suspects were released.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2019