LAHORE: Several rights groups and civil society organisations held demonstrations asking prompt action against those responsible for killing eight-year-old Zainab after sexually assaulting her last week. The child’s body was found dumped on a roadside in Kasur on Tuesday and later an autopsy confirmed that she was raped before her murder. The protesters said that Zainab’s case should not be considered as a one-off incident. Child abuse was widespread in the society and long-term plan and actions were needed to avoid such brutal incidents in future. Dozens of activists held a demonstration in front of the Lahore Press Club. The protest was organised by The Civil Society Network Pakistan and the Rawadari Tehrik Pakistan. CSNP president Abdullah Malik, Rwadari Tehreek’s chairman Samson Salamat, Pakistan Peoples Party’s Chuadry Ghulam Abbas were joined by activists from the Aurat Foundation. They held placards and banners demanding justice for the eight-year-old child. Speaking to Daily Times, CSNP president Abdullah Malik said the act stood against basic human values and no one with even an iota of humanity could commit such a heinous crime against a young child. “It show that our executive and judicial system has failed miserably. The local administration failed to address the situation and that led to loss of a child’s life,” he said. The CSNP president further said, “We demand that all local officials must be punished. They should be suspended for serious negligence as it’s not the first incident but is rather a continuation of a series of incidents.” “The Chief Justice of Pakistan and the Chief of the Army Staff should take notice of the incident and ensure exemplary punishments to the culprits. Everyone who feels strongly about the incident must raise a voice and come out on streets to demand justice for Zainab,” he said. Rwadari Tehreek chairman Samson Salamat also appealed to the citizens to break their silence and step out to demand justice for Zainab and all other victims of child abuse. He demanded an inquiry commission to be formed to probe all such incidents of sexual assault and killing of young girls reported from Kasur. Samson Salamat condemned the highhandedness of the police who opened fire on the protesters, killing two men. “This does not only show the lack of police training in handling such situations but also tells us clearly that law enforcers are not aware of the importance of human life,” he said. He said protest was the right of the people if they felt that their rights were being violated. The government is duty bound to allow people to exercise their rights, he said. Rwadari Tehrik’s activist Jami Chandio said that the tragic incident was a reflection of the bleak situation of human rights in the country. “There is no such thing as rule of law. The government is unable to catch criminals who are on the loose to terrorise citizens, not sparing children as well,” he said. “Increase in the number of such criminal acts and government’s incapability to bring criminals before justice triggers more frustration and anger among common citizens,” he said. He went on to say that civil society must stand up and mount maximum possible pressure on government to combat such criminals’ acts in future. “Zainab was the daughter of the whole society and justice must be shown to have been done,” he said. Published in Daily Times, January 11th 2018.