Pakistani Man Arrested for Wearing a Wolf Mask on New Year's Eve, Twitter Asks 'What's Wrong?'

If there's one thing that 2020 taught humanity, it was the importance of wearing face masks in the ongoing pandemic that has claimed the lives of millions of citizens across the globe.

However, a man in Peshawar, Pakistan had to pay the price for masking up while venturing out on New Year's Eve of 2021. What's wrong you ask? The mask, in itself, wasn't a protective covering but a costume mask to scare off people. Yep.

The man in question was covered in a wolf mask when he planned to "prank" people on the last day of 2020 following which he was detained by the authorities.

Sharing the incident on microblogging site Twitter, Pakistani journalist Omar R Quraishi posted a photo in which the man, donning the mask, can be seen handcuffed along with the cops in the frame, posing for the photograph.

Police in the Pakistani city of Peshawar arrest a young man on New Year’s eve - for wearing a costume mask to scare people pic.twitter.com/sU9f1NDcAf
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) January 1, 2021

The bizarre incident didn't go unnoticed on social media and netizens were left in splits. Many "lauded" him albeit sarcastically for being "responsible" for at least wearing a mask in times of coronavirus.

Full video of transformation here. pic.twitter.com/w3q6tXiBlb
— Desi Gooner (@Sahil_Adhikaari) January 1, 2021

At least he is wearing a mask in covid times.
— Doga (@antiherodoga) January 1, 2021

WTH.. arrested for wearing a mask and enjoying new year.. this is too much
— Habib Shabbir (@HabibShabbir) January 1, 2021

Haha
— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) January 1, 2021

Jokes on them. That’s a werewolf.
— war on tristmas (@fkatristan) January 1, 2021

This is Wodehouse level comedy
— Sridhar Shelat (@SridharShelat) January 1, 2021

Many others wondered why the man was arrested for wearing a mask while the cop in the photograph wasn't sporting any.

I can't get this out of my head that the policeman is not wearing a mask but you arrest the guy for wearing a mask. https://t.co/ayZWHHDI8Y
— 6.023×10²³ (@AnmolLoonia) January 1, 2021

Still less scary than the policeman who is not wearing a mask. 😷 https://t.co/FNK36XLaLY
— Godot (@OddieBirdie) January 1, 2021

😂 why didn’t they unmask him? 😂 https://t.co/VJqV4FAB0Z
— Divya Singh (दिव्या सिंह )🇮🇳 (@Divyasingh04) January 1, 2021

They said always wear a mask. They didn't say which one.. https://t.co/Ku7rcSBWmg
— Manan Puri (@mananpuri04) January 1, 2021

The difference is he wear the mask and and other Pak people don't.....but Do same actions as costumes mask.... https://t.co/7GjHaflGw3
— आत्मनिर्भर👻 (@Imanoop89) January 1, 2021

That mask saves from COVID. https://t.co/4Mkjf4Rbz7
— Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) January 1, 2021

Calls for freeing the wolfman were made by amused netizens.

Because he's the hero Peshawar deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So they'll hunt him. Because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian. A watchful protector. A Dank Fright. https://t.co/8CLAZZ5gtb
— southern roller (@melika_sa) January 1, 2021