FIR registered against Solis Festival Organizers following several accounts of harassment at Islamabad event
Solis fourth edition that took place on Saturday night, in Islamabad is currently being talked about everywhere, for all the wrong reasons. According to the firsthand accounts that started coming in late-night over the weekend, revealed that the entertainment soon turned into horror as violent gate crashers barged in the premises of the event, toppled the VIP lounge and made the EDM festival a nightmare for those present.
“A woman attending Solis last night shared her horrifying ordeal. She and her friends were harassed and sexually assaulted by male concert-goers, gatecrashers. They were injured by a falling platform. Event organisers failed on every level. Who’s going to answer for this?” tweeted a user after several women reported being harassed and molested in the chaos that occurred due to stage collapse.
A woman attending #SolisFestival last night shares her horrifying ordeal.
She + friends were harassed and sexually assaulted by male concert goers, gatecrashers. They were injured by a falling platform.
Event organisers failed on every level.
Who's going to answer for this? pic.twitter.com/hF5j0Q4I2v
— Hamna Zubair (@hamnazubair) February 16, 2020
In response to the above tweet, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad’s official Twitter handle responded and announced of an FIR lodged against Solis organizers, Full Circle.
“FIR is being registered. The report is ready. Inquiry is under process. Company is already blacklisted and will not be allowed any future event in Islamabad,” tweeted the Deputy Commissioner.
FIR is being registered. Report is ready. Inquiry is under process. @ICT_Police. Company is already blacklisted and will not be allowed any future event in Islamabad. https://t.co/wFJs3ffYj9
— DC Islamabad (@dcislamabad) February 16, 2020
After the FIR, Syed Shabbar – head of Full Circle – too issued a statement to Express Tribune as he stated that the company is, in fact, looking forward to the investigation.
“The Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad is doing what he needs to do to protect his citizens and we will always stand by and respect that. We have nothing to hide and we know we did everything by the books. In fact, we hope this investigation reveals who exactly is behind the issuing of fake tickets,” said Shabbar in an email response to the publication.
“Unfortunately the actions of individuals responsible for producing fake tickets, determine the fate of entertainment in Islamabad. They raised a question for both the attendees who no longer feel safe to attend and for event organisers, who feel discouraged to perhaps do this again,” added the organizer.
Shabbar added that while the company understands the gravity of the situation and regrets what happened, Islamabad was there the first venue and it is sad that the end has been this.