Protests in Pakistan after a woman is raped in front of her children
Civil society organisations demand that the government take concrete measures to defend women's rights and against a mindset that blames the victim.
Lahore (AsiaNews) – Sana, 30, a Pakistani woman with French nationality, who lives at Lahore’s Defence Housing Society, was stranded on the highway with her two children at around 1 pm after her car ran out of gas.
Whilst asking for help, two men approached her and took her and her children (under eight years old) to a nearby field where she was raped.
Lahore's Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Umar Shaikh CCPO was tasked with investigating the case. Speaking to the media, he criticised the woman, saying she should have taken a different, less deserted route and checked that her gas tank was full before embarking on the journey.
In a video message Ms Sana said that last Thursday she was driving from Lahore to Gujranwala with her two children when the car stopped on the highway after running out of fuel.
“I called the police for help. Whilst waiting, some men broke my car window, dragged me and my children into a field, and raped me several times in front of my children. They also stole my jewellery, cash and credit cards.”
She added that "police investigator Umar Sheikh blames me for the rape because I travelled alone without a male figure. Other than that, this is the story of another Pakistani woman and countless Pakistani women who have experienced extreme sexual violence and have been accused of it, forced into silence as society continues to close its eyes on what is happening ".
Following the incident, scores of women across Pakistan protested against Sana's rape on the Lahore-Sialkot highway and the CCPO’s statement. In Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Multan, Hyderabad, everywhere, people are calling for his resignation.
On Saturday, the Peace and Development Organisation (PDO) and the Siasi Ortein (Political Women) held a large-scale rally at the Karachi Press Club with hundreds of women protesting against this heart-breaking incident on the Gujranwala-Lahore highway.
PDO president Safina Javed, a Christian woman who defends human rights, strongly condemned the brutal act, saying that the Pakistani government must take strong action against the rising number of incidents against women and children.
“It was really shocking news,” Safina noted. “We have all heard about the CCPO; he must be suspended for his typical and narrow mindset. Instead of standing by the innocent woman, he supported the criminals.
“All the laws made recently have undermined women. We ask that some strict laws be made in favour of women so that we can feel safe wherever we go.”
The Women Democratic Front, the Women 'Action Forum, Besharam Banghi Tehreek, Tehrik-e-Niswaan, Siasi Aurtain, Aurat March, the Inter University Feminist Union along with the Peace and Development Organisation issued a statement after the protest:
“End all violence against women, [and] trans women by patriarchal forces, including the procedures supported by the state.
“the government should take positive steps to uphold our rights and ensure justice when those rights are violated;
“the Lahore CCPO and any public official who does not recognise our rights, perpetuating the culture that blames the victims, should be called to answer;
“radical structural and procedural reform are called for in all government institutions to ensure they respect our rights and reflect our core interests;
“the Pakistani criminal justice system should conduct effective and transparent investigations into gender crimes and act fairly and rapidly.”
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07/02/2019 17:28
24/11/2023 15:00
