Video of scuffle between passengers, customs officials at airport sparks public outrage
Pakistan
Netizens demand fair probe into the incident
LAHORE (Dunya News) - A disturbing video featuring customs officials brutally beating women passengers and dragging one of them by pulling her hair at Allama Iqbal Airport has sparked public outrage, with a call for an independent and fair investigation into the incident which has brought the Customs Department into disrepute.
The scuffle ensued during the checking of luggage of the passengers, who came from Dubai. The customs officials alleged that the women wanted to smuggle 24 security cameras and Indian-made costumes, and when the customs official confiscated the goods, the women got furious and attacked the officials.
On the complaint of the customs officials, a case was registered against the passengers and they were presented in a court, who not only freed them but also set aside the case against them.
With this viral video, netizens flooded the comment box and described the incident as disturbing. One commented, “Oh, yes! The esteemed court freed them as they were innocent. If they had been guilty, the court would have never cancelled the case against them and set them free. It is clear that the case was fabricated against them.”
One said, “The clip showed that passengers attacked the customs officials. They took law into their hands. They should have cooperated with the officials. In think, the incident could be investigated in a transparent manner, and those responsible for this chaos should be punished.”
Another commented, “Our Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said many times that expats are playing an important role in the country’s economy by sending remittance. I am not confirmed that the women were overseas Pakistanis or just common travellers, even then this should not happen.”
A social media user said, “I heard many passengers, particularly coming from Europe complaining about misbehavior and non-cooperative attitude of airport personnel, which today’s clip has proved that their complaints are justified.”
