Daily Times

On October 17 the rapist and killer of innocent Zainab and several other little girls was hanged. Law took its course. Angry society has cooled off. But has the society been cured? No. The malais is there as before

Punishment must be carried out but the process should not end there. There are several questions to be answered. Zainab’s father is said to have witnessed the hanging. Does it satisfy him?

Does it absolve him and Zainab’s mother, of the neglect shown by them by proceeding for Umrah leaving the child unprotected at home? Why did they not take her along? Who was supposed to take care of her? Were they able to do so? Do they know how to take care of a child specially a girl child? Did the rapist’s father know how to take care of his child? The father of the rapist Imran fell grossly short of his responsibility.

Such parents must realize that Allah Taala forgives ‘Haqooq Allah” but NOT ‘Haqooqul Ibad’. It was a part of ‘Haqooqul Ibad’ that Zainab’s parents should have taken her along or taken proper care for her to be looked after. It was part of “Haqooqul Ibad”, for the father of the condemned and hanged Imran, that he should have taken care of his son and saved him from being led astray.

The, now hanged Imran, was interviewed by a distinguished psychologist when Imran was convicted. Mr Aamer Sarfraz diagnosed the reasons of Imran becoming a criminal. I refer to Mr Aamer Sarfraz article “ Psychopathology of serial killer” published in Daily Times of February 28,2008. The child Imran had a normal wish to become a ‘Naqeeb”. A “ Naqeeb” is a prominent position in the mosque.

He could be a ‘moazin’, prayer leader, or Naat Khawan or a Qari. But in his desire to learn these sacred, respectable business, the ‘teacher’ abused him. His psyche was continuously damaged and self respect was injured. So the energy of youth got diverted. Growing libidinal energy pushed him in another direction.

He was getting criminally dominant and remorseless. Unconsciously the revenge of his insults and frustrations. He ended up as the criminal that the court found fit for hanging. Imran is gone and his victims are gone. The Malais remains. If nothing concrete is done then the social system will produce more predators and more innocent souls will suffer.

As a society we should not stop at hanging. Case studies must be made. The psychotherapists must come forward. This is the time to act. Not to just draw salaries and go home.

Create awareness. Hold seminars, Advise on practical ways of bringing up mentally healthy children. The responsibility lies also on parents and religious leaders. Many religious leaders are known to be against family planning. I am afraid this attitude is mostly because the men want unrestricted license to sexual pleasure. They propagate that God Almighty will take care. What about the responsibility that the Almighty has given to the humans?

Media has played a disappointing role. A totally negative role. Role of electronic media is essentially negative or commercial. This institution has damaged the society in many ways. In this case, they focused on punishment only. They used the crime for sensation and for higher rating and getting commercials to improve their finances. There is little sense of social responsibility. Responsible media should have made an in depth study of the complex problem, shared it with viewers and made them aware of the potential dangers

There needs to be firm and extended campaign to help religious ‘leaders’ to understand the psyche of the young and the responsibility of the elders. Parenthood must also be understood. The desire to have a child is mostly there in married couples but they need to understand in moral, social, and financial terms the responsibility that parenthood brings.

The parents like those of Zainab and Imran did not deserve to be parents. They neglected their children and must be made responsible. Of course the state must take responsibility as well. State must make it obligatory for those who intend to marry to learn the responsibility of parenthood. In many countries the expecting couples go through lessons for responsible parenthood. The parental care and responsibility must be fully understood before the start of the process of procreation.

All religions introduced a marriage system for peace in society and for realizing a sense of responsibility. In all systems contract of marriage secures the right of the child. In modern society fresh thinking is required to ensure child’s healthy physical and mental growth.

So far there is no collective sign of awareness. When the Zainab case was in the news a lot of people felt their conscience was disturbed. But the focus unfortunately was on punishment only. People accused the government of in efficiency and neglect, even involvement. This reflects an immature mind with little depth. Punishment is a deterrent not a cure.

To cure or reduce the illness much more is needed and only some of the steps have been indicated. Study should also be made of the countries where such crimes low. We cannot always justify by saying that such crimes also occur in USA and UK etc. These countries should not be our role models and if such crimes occur there we don’t need to follow. We will need to evolve systems of education, training, understanding and treatment in our social context and here the role of educationists, religious scholars, doctors and jurists assumes the key importance.

Media has played a disappointing role. A totally negative role. Role of electronic media is essentially negative or commercial. This institution has damaged the society in many ways. In this case, they focused on punishment only

They used the crime for sensation and for higher rating and getting commercials to improve their finances. There is little sense of social responsibility. Responsible media should have made an in depth study of the complex problem, shared it with viewers and made them aware of the potential dangers. A responsible electronic media should have collected experts to do series of programs for parents and society to handle the ‘young’ in a more responsible way.

TV, the most important part of the electronic media, should have held discussions on how to sublimate the libido energy of the young. TV is seen and it still has a bit of credibility although several anchors and participants are bent upon destroying it a sap. The electronic media should either play a responsible role for society or quit. Reporting on NAB and political discords and all negative news only create anxiety and lack of faith. We need faith in the society and ourselves.

We need to build a healthy nation in ‘Naya Pakistan’ or ‘Real Pakistan’’ whatever it may be called. To achieve this objective we need to pay attention to the young, and the whole lot of attitudes between men and women, sexual relationships, and responsible caring of the infants. Stop treating babies as a byproduct of sexual pleasure only, and a burden afterwards.. Neither God nor Society can forgive that.

I sincerely hope that some conscientious organization, a government ministry, an NGO, or Sociologists hear the call of those ‘Zainabs’ who are next to be raped and killed and the cry of those young boys desirous of becoming a ‘Naqeeb’ or some how distinguishing themselves, to end up on gallows.

The writer is Pakistani theatre, film and television actor, scholar, public speaker, columnist, teacher and dramatist

Published in Daily Times, October 28^th 2018.