You can’t solve an issue that society is unwilling to have an open debate over because it is considered “taboo”
The case of Zainab Ansari’s unfortunate death and the state’s apathetic response to the incident has become a case in point to understand why Pakistan still has a long way to go before the country becomes a welfare state.
Zainab’s rape case is not an isolated incident. It’s just one case in a long list of such incidents that are waiting for justice. It wasn’t a long time ago when the city of Kasur was the subject of similar highlights. The issue of child abuse prevails all across Pakistan. While the nation is mourning Zainab’s death, cases of rape and abuses have been reported in other provinces as well. However, the problem is severe in the province of Punjab. According to different reports, out of total child abuse cases that have occurred all across Pakistan during the last few years, 62% were reported from Punjab.
The culprits in the previous case successfully defied justice due to the structural loopholes in the judicial system, the political influence of culprits and the politicisation of police, among other things. This politicisation and underlying inefficiency which has marred the police department and justice system remain one of the core reasons have emboldened criminals to continue with their transgressions with impunity. Under the prevailing circumstances where availability of justice remains a distant reality, the recent incident from Kasur is not likely to be the last incident.
During the last one decade, the ratio of child abuse cases has increased almost 36%. This is just tip of the iceberg: the cases which go unreported run in the thousands across the country
It is disgraceful that various sections of civil society are blaming Zainab’s family for leaving her alone which according to them was the reason for her sad demise. Before making such statements, one should not forget that children are being molested, harassed and raped under different circumstances and in different social and cultural settings across the country. According to an Associated Press (AP) lead investigative report, “sexual abuse is a pervasive and longstanding problem at madrassas in Pakistan… But in a culture where clerics are powerful and sexual abuse is a taboo subject, it is seldom discussed or even acknowledged in public.”
Among other issues, the lack of sexual education in schools and households has complicated the issue. The subject of sex education cannot be considered a taboo anymore. Rather than feeling ashamed about having such discussions with children, parents should openly discuss these issues with their children. Moreover, the government needs to ensure that sex education become part of all private and public schools curriculum. On the other hand, it is not fair to blame the country’s education system only. The fact that there are hardly any cases where culprits are punished, shows that the safety of common men children and their secure future is not the concern of the state which is reflected through poor policing and an inept justice system.
It’s evident that the state’s failure to deliver justice and investigate such issues with impartiality without any cultural, social or political pressure is clearly offering space to people who defend such acts by hiding behind ideological veils. A number of so-called religious scholars believe that ‘provocative’ attire of females lead to such incidents. When they were asked about similar issues happening with male students of various religious institutes, they argued that it was a conspiracy to malign the seminary system and Islam. “As the religious right has grown stronger in Pakistan, reporting of sexual abuse in madrassas has trickled off,” noted the AP investigative report.
With the current polluted power and justice system in place, it’s unlikely that the state will be ever able to eliminate such shameful acts from Pakistani society in the near future. It’s unfortunate but unsurprising that Zainab’s killer still remains at large. It only proves that criminals are well aware that as soon as the media’s gaze is turned away, the state’s insensitive and callous structure will stop hunting for them.
The state needs to set examples to create effective moods of deterrence by punishing Paedophiles and rapists. During the last one decade, the ratio of child abuse cases has increased almost 36%. This is just tip of the iceberg: the cases which go unreported run in the thousands across the country.
The rapid increase in the proportion of such cases shows the severity of this plague. Young children who are going through such horrible experiences will one day become adults. If we do not take an action to stop this menace, we will only raise a sick society whose young population is traumatized due to such horrible incidents.
The narrative of taboo concerning the issue that prevails in the Pakistani society means that justice is unlikely to be served unless there is an open debate on the subject in households, media, and educational institutes. If the state continues to serve vested interests and build political agendas on hash-tags such as #justiceforZainab, this menace will only grow.
With additional input from Fatima Nadeem Qureshi
