Condemning rape

KARACHI: The recent custodial rape of a thirteen-year-old girl by Wah Police has shocked the nation and the Women Action Forum (WAF) would like to condemn it in the strongest possible terms. This case highlights the extremely insecure environment in which women of Pakistan are compelled to live, especially when the custodians of law – the police – turn predators and commit sexual violence.

WAF strongly feels that in this case a judicial inquiry should be held rather than a departmental police inquiry to ensure impartiality and all finding should be made public.  It is hoped that the involvement of MNA Sherry Rehman with this case will ensure a sustained campaign and government pressure to get justice for the survivor.

Reports on sexual crimes indicate an increasing involvement of people with political clout who are either directly involved with cases of sexual violence or use their connections to free the violators by manipulating the system and in some cases browbeating the survivors’ family into withdrawing their complaint. WAF feels that rape should be declared a crime against the state as murder is.

Nuzhat Kidwai

WAF

Published in the Express Tribune, May 28th, 2010.