Social media influencer Samiya Hijab Jafari lodged on Sunday an FIR at the Shalimar police station, accusing a man named Hassan Zahid of repeated stalking, public assault, attempted abduction, and threats to her life. She told the police she has a recording of the threats and CCTV footage from the scene.
Jafari said the incident occurred on August 31, 2025 at about 6:30 pm, when she went out to return gifts the man had given her. She said he slapped and humiliated her in public, tried to force her into a vehicle, and continued to stalk and threaten her throughout the day. Her written complaint lists multiple offences, including kidnapping, attempted offence, criminal intimidation, and assault on a woman.
She handed the police a recording in which the accused man allegedly threatened to keep her under surveillance and to “take revenge” from her. She has also submitted the CCTV footage of the kidnapping attempt. The FIR also includes two phone numbers and a CNIC, which the complainant said, belongs to the accused man.
According to the FIR filed, a man identified as Hassan Zahid had been stalking and harassing Jafari for some time. She alleged that Zahid repeatedly visited her house without consent, pressured her to meet him, and persistently called and threatened her.
In her complaint, Jafari pointed to the recent murder of her close friend, Sana Yousaf, a teenage social media creator who was shot dead at her Islamabad home in June 2025. The police said the killing followed repeated online contact and rejection. The case sparked nationwide outrage and renewed calls for stronger protection of women, both online and offline.
The police have registered the case under multiple sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including 392 (robbery), 365 (kidnapping), 511 (attempted offence), 506(ii) (criminal intimidation), 509 (harassment), 354 (assault on a woman), and 500 (defamation).
“He (the accused man) ran away from Islamabad when the police tried to arrest him,” Jafari told DRM, adding that he has gone to court to seek bail. “If he is granted bail, my life will be in danger,” she added.
Jafari said the threats have left her unable to step outside. “I am the breadwinner of my house, but I have never felt this unsafe. I had to report him because I was already carrying so much trauma after what happened to my friend, social media influencer Sana Yousaf.”
For now, she says she has police protection. “The police are standing outside my house 24/7, but how long can they stay? My only concern is that his bail should not be approved,” Jafari said.
Digital Rights Monitor tried to contact Hassan Zahid at the numbers mentioned in the FIR, but his phones remained switched off.
According to the Digital Rights Foundation’s Cyber Harassment Helpline, women continue to make up the majority of victims of online abuse in Pakistan. In 2022, the helpline recorded 2,695 new cases, nearly 59 percent of which were reported by women, while in 2023 the number stood at 2,473 complaints, with women again comprising 58.5 percent of callers.
