PHOTO: FILE
In 2019, 59 cases of child abuse were registered and 66 accused were arrested. Two cases of murder after rape were also registered in the year. Police claimed to have arrested three accused involved in the murders. Reportedly, the number of cases of rape is higher in 2020 than the corresponding period of the previous year.
The Zainab Alert Bill relating to death sentence for child abuse has been passed by the Punjab Assembly. When the bill was pending in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, there had been a spike in cases of rape.
At least 27 cases of abuse similar to Kasur video scandal were reported in Samundari and Dijkot but the actual number of such incidents was higher.
Due to the lack of awareness in the villages, most people prefer to stay silent rather than coming out in public about cases of child abuse. One thing common in the Samundari and Dijkot cases is that videos of victim children were found on the suspects' mobile phones.
Two child molesters held in Gujjar Khan
Some officials initially denied the existence of the videos. Later, as the number of cases increased, police officials and parents of children told media persons that the issue was serious. They said mobile phones seized from the detained suspects had doctored child abuse videos and the media should be cautious in reporting such cases.
Given the increasing number of cases of rape in Punjab, the inspector general of police ordered arrangement of awareness sessions at schools and colleges for the safety of children. However, the instruction was ignored by the officials concerned. In this regard, Faisalabad City Police Officer Captain (retd) Sohail Chaudhry, while talking to The Express Tribune, claimed that that the rate of child abuse cases was lower than last year.
He said that in 2019, police arrested the accused in all the cases. Referring to the cases registered this year, he said those involved in them would be arrested soon.
“In such cases, often the parents reach a settlement with the accused, due to which they are set free after withdrawal of the charges.
A local resident, Nadeem, said it was true that the police were often found negligent in such matters and only took action after the cases were reported in the media. “There is a strong need for citizens to not be quiet about such cases and police must help them to punish the accused,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 12th, 2020.
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