The unfairness of it all

Letter June 06, 2018
Khadija and her family put up a brave fight. She was approached by the judge to seek a compromise.

KARACHI: Stabbing someone 23 times is sufficient to ensure certain death. Khadija Siddiqui was lucky to survive. She is someone every Pakistani could be proud of. Brave and brilliant, steadfast and articulate, sensible and strong. She bore her wounds with grace and courage — for she had a long battle to fight for justice in a biased and dysfunctional system of courts and ‘kutcheris’. The fight is harder when the culprit’s father is himself a senior lawyer and has the sympathy of the judge, lawyers, government and the governor.

The man who stabbed Khadija Siddiqui 23 times ought to have been behind bars for a long, long time. Barbaric and murderous, he is a danger and threat to society. However, the judiciary awarded him just seven years, which were soon reduced to five.

Khadija and her family put up a brave fight. She was approached by the judge to seek a compromise. She was approached by the Punjab governor to let go and step back. But Khadija firmly held her ground with courage and dignity. Sadly the judge yielded to the powerful criminals and ordered the release of the stabber.

While Khadija has emerged as a hero, a role model, an icon and someone that every Pakistan could be proud of, the judicial system has let her down.

Will the chief justice please pause for a moment to consider as to who will give justice to the innocent woman who was stabbed 23 times?

Naeem Sadiq

Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2018.

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