Rapist of daughter-in-law condemned to 10-year jail term

Judgement states such crimes make women feel unsafe even in their own homes

KARACHI:

The additional district and sessions judge for District Central has awarded 10-year rigorous imprisonment along with Rs50,000 fine to a man, namely Irshad Ali, after convicting him of sexually assaulting his daughter-in-law. If he fails to pay the fine, then he will have to serve another six-month jail term, wrote Judge Zabiha Khattak in the verdict pronounced on Friday.

According to the verdict, the messages retrieved from the convict's mobile phone revealed that the victim chose to remain silent to save her marriage. It is concerning that the accused is a fatherly figure for the victim. This is not merely a crime, but a grave sin. Such actions create an environment where women feel unsafe even in their own homes, states the judgment. "It is a stain on our society which warrants strict measures."

According to a police statement, on April 19, 2023, the victim recounted that she was alone in her room while her husband and mother-in-law were not present at home. Her father-in-law entered the room and sexually assaulted her. Later, he threatened the victim with dire consequences if she informed anyone about the sexual assault, as per the police statement. A few days later, when he tried to assault her again, she informed her family, leading to the registration of a case.

The victim also revealed that her father-in-law had previously assaulted her multiple times.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2024.