Lahore woman jumps off moving bike to escape harassment

A woman was injured after jumping off a moving motorcycle to escape alleged harassment by a ride-hailing rider in

A woman was injured after jumping off a moving motorcycle to escape alleged harassment by a ride-hailing rider in Lahore’s Johar Town, police said. The incident reportedly occurred on October 17, and CCTV footage shows the woman jumping from the motorcycle while it was still moving.

According to police, the woman had booked a ride from F-2 in Johar Town to Watto Palace. During the journey, the rider allegedly attempted to behave inappropriately towards her, prompting her to jump off the motorcycle to escape.

The woman sustained injuries to her face, nose, throat and head in the fall. The rider allegedly fled the scene after she jumped from the motorcycle.

Police said the woman’s brother subsequently filed a complaint against the rider, following which a case was registered. Authorities have not yet shared further details about the suspect’s identity or the progress of the investigation.

The incident has raised further concerns about women’s safety while using public and ride-hailing transport in Lahore. It comes days after another reported assault involving a woman riding a scooter in the city’s Mozang area.

On October 24, police in Mozang arrested a man accused of assaulting a woman on Mozang Link Road. According to the allegations, the suspect blocked her path, knocked her off her scooter, slapped her and pulled her hair, leaving her with injuries to her face and nose. The case was registered following a complaint by the woman’s father.

In a separate incident reported in August 2024, a ride-hailing driver was accused of sexually assaulting a female passenger in Lahore before fleeing.

Punjab introduces safety measures for passengers

Amid growing concerns about women’s safety, the Punjab government has introduced measures to help passengers seek emergency assistance while travelling on public transport.

Earlier this month, QR-code panic buttons were introduced in 82,000 rickshaws, cabs and public transport vehicles. The facility is intended to enable women to request immediate assistance in cases of harassment and other emergencies.

Officials have also said that a tracking system is being installed in online cabs. Transport services that fail to implement the prescribed safety measures could face action.

Lahore Chief Traffic Officer Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi said traffic teams were working at 45 locations across the city to install the QR-code panic buttons. Teams had also been deployed in every traffic sector, while 12 dedicated teams were assigned to install the devices in rickshaws.

Shirazi said the installation of QR-code panic buttons had been made mandatory to bring public transport under the regulatory framework and improve passenger safety.

Women can scan the QR codes to seek immediate assistance in cases of harassment or other emergencies. The measures are intended to strengthen passenger protection and improve the response to safety concerns across the city’s transport network.