KARACHI:
On the night of 21st September, two men in a Vigo pickup truck kidnapped a 22-year-old woman from outside the Clifton Mall in Karachi, took her to a flat, subjected her to sexual violence and dumped her back at the same place the next morning. While we do not know the specific details of this tragic incident, it is clear that the recent upsurge in rape cases calls for immediate action.
A single nationwide Emergency Helpline, if available, could have been activated by an eyewitness or the family during or after the incident took place. Even though such helplines are of no use due to the negligence of authorities, the recording of an official complaint will help the victim in court. The failure of local authorities to stop people from carrying illegal weapons has further helped criminals in carrying out heinous crimes not only at night but also during broad day-light. The fact that in Karachi alone, some 200,000 cars without any registration or having government look-alike number plates go unchecked is a great catalyst for such crimes to be committed.
Wisdom lies in taking measures to prevent crimes and not in waiting for accidents to happen. Therefore, the current government needs to create a national emergency system which not only records complaints without delay but also catch the perpetrators and charge them.
Naeem Sadiq
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, September 26th, 2020.
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