Accused in Samiya Hijab attempted abduction case remanded to police

Hassan Zahid, an accused in the abduction case of social media influencer Samiya Hijab, has been handed over to the police on a five-day physical remand by an Islamabad court.

The remand was granted to the police following the registration of a second case against Zahid, as the accused secured bail in the first FIR lodged on Sunday.

Zahid was nominated in two cases on charges of "harassment, assault, abduction, and threats to life" over the complaint of the Islamabad-based influencer Samiya.

She had alleged two days ago that Zahid attempted to abduct her outside her house, in an incident that prompted swift action by the capital city police, resulting in the arrest of the purported kidnapper within 24 hours.

In a video posted on Instagram, Hijab said the suspect, identified by her as Zahid from Lahore, had been harassing her for months with threats and demands to marry him.

She claimed he appeared outside her residence, grabbed her phone, and tried to force her into his car.

The influencer invoked the recent murder of teenage TikToker Sana, who was killed in Islamabad earlier this year after reportedly rejecting a proposal, saying: “Before this, my friend Sana died for the same reason — because of rejecting [a proposal]. I do not want to become Sana.”

Hijab, who is a popular face on TikTok, appealed to Islamabad Inspector General Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi for protection, while praising the police for registering her complaint and moving quickly.

According to the police, they have to recover the weapon used by the accused to threaten Samiya, two cars used for the crime, a mobile phone, and Rs45,000 cash, which he stole from the influencer as per her allegations.

Shalimar police officials said that it was an intolerable act that someone tried to force an individual and attempt abduction.

In a follow-up video, she confirmed that she had undergone a medical examination that verified evidence of physical assault. She said officers had been deployed outside her house for security after she reported fresh death threats from the suspect.

"Check the audacity of this man — this morning he threatened again to kill me if I did not withdraw the FIR," she said.

Hijab revealed that the suspect was arrested within 24 hours. Hijab thanked the Islamabad IG and SHOs Shafqat and Ishaq for their support.

"He thought he could abduct me, force me to marry him, and nothing would happen. That animal was arrested within 24 hours," she said.

Calling for an exemplary punishment for the suspect, Hijab urged the courts to ensure deterrence. "Before anyone dares cast their eyes upon a sister or daughter, they should think 10,000 times," she remarked.

Hijab said she would continue to speak out not just for herself but also for "every girl who is feeling unsafe right now".