Karachi witnessed two peaceful protests on January 11th and 12th to demand justice for Zainab
KARACHI: Karachi witnessed two peaceful protests on January 11th and 12th to demand justice for Zainab, the eight-year-old girl-child who was brutally raped and killed in Kasur. It is commendable that the likes of Mahira Khan and Shehzad Roy joined the protests and held a press conference to express their disgust over the matter and request parents to break the taboo surrounding the issue, and talk to their children about it.
However, in a patriarchal society like Pakistan, are peaceful protests along with a mere call for justice going to change the mindset that has existed for long: case in point — riots during the partition that witnessed women being raped for demoralising each other? It will require much more than such protests, perhaps, a Faizabad-type sit-in that will push the authorities to action.
Burhan Kaiser
Published in The Express Tribune, January 13th, 2018.
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