Johnson Tariq, was commended during the Pakistan Day parade on March 23 for his courageous act of rescuing a woman from a violent mob in Lahore’s Ichhra Market last month.
Johnson Tariq, the Christian shopkeeper, received recognition from the state of Pakistan for his heroic deed. He intervened to save the woman involved in the Ichhra incident, where she was threatened by radical individuals over her attire, which featured Arabic calligraphy.
On February 25, law enforcement authorities intervened to protect a woman from an enraged crowd that mistakenly accused her of blasphemy due to her clothing, which bore Arabic script.
The mob, misled by the Arabic letters on the woman’s dress, incorrectly associated them with Quranic verses. In reality, the dress bore the innocuous word “Halwa” in Arabic, meaning “beautiful or sweet.”
Upon learning of the situation, the Punjab Police, under the leadership of ASP Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi, promptly arrived at the scene and rescued the woman from the volatile crowd.
Despite the perilous circumstances, Johnson Tariq courageously provided shelter to the woman in his shop until the police could safely retrieve her.
During the Pakistan Day parade at the Parade Ground near the iconic Shakarparian Hills in Islamabad, the host praised Johnson Tariq, describing him as a beacon of humanity and a source of pride for his selfless actions.
