Turkish actress Esra Bilgiç, who plays Halime Sultan in the super-hit series Diriliş: Ertuğrul, has hit out at Lahore Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Umer Sheikh for victim-blaming the woman gang-raped in the horrific motorway incident.

Sharing his video on her Instagram story, Esra said: “Women can drive alone or with their children. [The] only thing you need to do is provide security.”

She continued: “You’re okay with gangs’ presence on your roads as a POLICE OFFICER? You think that if a woman chooses those roads to drive, there is a right to RAPE and KILL them?”

“You’re displaying a shocking ignorance on this matter,” said a belligerent Esra, adding “Before you advise, you should change your thoughts. It seems impossible. What a shame on you and people like you.”

Earlier, City Police Officer (CCPO), Lahore, Umer Sheikh, sought public apology over his controversial and insensitive remarks, blaming the victim of the Motorway gang-rape for being careless.

Sheikh said he had already sought an apology over his media statement. He said he had no ill intention while giving the statement. 

If his comments had offended anyone, he apologises, to not only the victim but also to all others, from the core of his heart, he said. 

A day after the motorway incident, he told a private TV channel that the victim should have checked petrol before setting on journey and she should have travelled by the GT Road instead of the Lahore-Sialkot Motorway. 

His comments invited immense criticism from the pubic. “Remove CCPO” had been a trend on twitter and a buzzword on other social media forums.