KARACHI:
In Pakistan, the state is often believed to be protecting criminals that are influential and wealthy irrespective of the gruesome charges they face, or the gravity of crimes committed by them.
In the US state of Georgia, a trial is in progress by a jury of three white men for the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old unarmed Black man who was suspected by them over a series of break-ins in their neighbourhood. A video showing the gruesome slaying of Arbery was captured on a CCTV videotape and was widely telecasted by all TV channels and viewed by the public. Neither the state prosecutor nor the regulators objected to this. Even no complaints by the defendant’s lawyers were entertained to stop the media from showing it. However, in Pakistan, PEMRA issued a notice that prohibited news channels from airing CCTV footage of Noor Muqaddam trying to flee the house where she was allegedly murdered.
Since the video has come to public attention, there have been two predominant public discourses over the airing of the video. The first discourse suggests that PEMRA is protecting the alleged murderer, Zahir Jaffer, as the CCTV footage reveals the ordeal suffered by Noor hours before her brutal murder. According to another discourse, the footage should not be aired because it will be distressing for Noor’s family to relive the brutal episode and their privacy should be respected.
The mistrust of the first group comes from the unfortunate reality that the influential and rich involved in gruesome deeds have often got away because of friendly prosecution. But this is not intrinsic to Pakistan alone and has been witnessed worldwide. It is difficult for victims of violence and assault to get justice and if the perpetrator is powerful, it becomes almost impossible. Even in the Zainab case, it was the public outcry and resentment that enabled the death sentence of the perpetrator. Criminals should not be protected by state institutions and the constitutional role of the state should be upheld.
Malik Tariq Ali
Lahore
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2021.
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