Daily Times

Harrowing details of an eight-year-old raped a stone’s throw from her own house, that too, in broad daylight has very conveniently flown past the radar of the collective conscience. Considering no political connotations are involved and ours is a country that thrives on controversies centred around the heavyweights, the absence of furious protests and a renewed scrutiny of the rights of minors become a non-affair. After all, the heated battles across the fracture lines are what deserve the entirety of our energies and airtime. That Pakistan is well on its way to becoming the rape capital of the world is no strong reason to rattle the authorities out of their deep slumber. Our cavalier approach to the security of the weaker members of society has rendered them sitting ducks against the insatiable lust of demons lurking in all corners. From nauseating comments echoing in the corridors that matter to rape accusations twisted to further personal agendas, there remains no need to reiterate how nearly 11 cases are reported every day (the actual number is bound to be much, much higher). Still, news about rape and murder of victims does not warrant much more than a footnote on national pages or a fleeting ticker on television screens. If the gory specifics or international outrage does force media and the state to take note of the hue and cry, fingers are almost instantaneously raised on the victim in a bid to make the society feel good about itself.

It would be downright foolish to think this time would do the trick and our lawmakers would finally improve the toothless legislation to provide constitutionally-mandated freedom to life and security to their people. Even if law enforcement agencies manage to make headway and produce the accused before the court, shoddy investigation and non-existent prosecution would, for the millionth time, stand in the way of justice. Let the money/connections games begin! *