Daily Times

Sir: Cases of rape and gang rape are becoming very common in the land of the ‘pure’. The civilised world has made laws to criminalise and punish even marital rape perpetrators but here, due to feudalism dominated politics and the fake veil of ‘family reputation’ being at stake, the majority of rape cases are hushed up. One case in Taluka, Johi is making headlines in the local press. A 10-year-old girl was reportedly married to an older man. The girl refused but was dragged to her new home. Reportedly, the sister of the husband handed the girl to a man who secretly runs a brothel and, after being given drugs, the girl was raped. The rape seriously injured the girl and she breathed her last soon after reaching hospital. Another version of the story is that the stepmother of the girl poisoned her. The police are clueless, the medical doctor is waiting for medical tests and the culprits are free.
This rape case should also be investigated under the newly passed Child Marriages Restraint Act 2013 and the culprits should be given exemplary punishment. Even if the husband’s family is not involved in the rape case, they should still be tried under this new law. Child marriages, besides depriving girls of their education, right to play and promoting separation from their mothers, also gives legitimacy to the husband to rape the 10, 12 or 15-year-old girl in the name of marriage. This new law by the Sindh Assembly prescribes three years imprisonment, Rs 45,000 fine or both for the arrangers of child marriages. Moreover, this law is non-bailable and non-compoundable. The above-mentioned child marriage case in Johi should be taken as a test case under the new law and those who committed this crime should be made an example of.

GULSHER PANHWER
Johi