After the case of Rinkle Kumari and Mian Mithoo — who is fiercely protected by the PPP and who is responsible for the abduction, rape and forcible conversion of Rinkle — Sharjeel Memon also got away with the same in 2010 in Nagarparkar. When that survivor and her family had gone on a hunger strike outside the Hyderabad Press Club, Sharmila Faruqui was sent to them to ask them to drop the case. Now, we have the new case of another Hindu minor who was sexually assaulted in Sindh by a local PPP worker in Umerkot (Note: I am not writing the name of the survivor as she is a minor; it is unethical to release names of minors who are survivors of rape and sexual violence. All the accounts have been confirmed after speaking with the survivor’s family.) These are some of the things that have happened so far. The survivor is a student of Grade I, in the district of Umerkot in Sindh. She is much younger than her reported age of 14 years by a national daily. This is not an uncommon occurrence that children start schooling at a much older age in rural areas. After verifying it from official sources, I was informed that an FIR no 61/12 under Section 354 Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on the complaint of Bheel against three accused had been filed. The application of innocuous Section 354 of the PPC clearly shows malafide as it is a bailable offence and it would further aggravate things for the victim. The accused are Aziz, Majeed and Maroof. The case is high profile, as one of the accused is a local representative of the PPP while the other accused belong to the powerful and influential Rind clan in Sindh. The first medical examination report was not accepted by the inquiry officer on December 24, 2012, therefore the blood-stained piece of clothing was sent to a forensics laboratory in Lahore. After raping of the Hindu minor and not getting any forensics done, there was an attempt to kidnap her too. The survivor is a Bheel, not just Hindu but also a scheduled caste one. The rape of children from scheduled castes is, unfortunately, very common in Sindh. The Sindh police is not helping the rape survivor in the Umerkot case as the SSP of the district is the brother of Ayaz Soomro, who is a member of the PPP, and currently the law minister. Here is what I am asking the Pakistani people. Where are you? Where is your outrage? Is ‘democracy’ about protecting rapists in Pakistan these days? You were quick to criticise political parties and the establishment of Delhi but do you have the courage and sincerity to stand up against the powerful here? (Those who cannot handle harsh words, please refrain from reading as it is about the rape of a minor by a member of a party that enjoys the support of the ‘liberal’ section of society.) Many were was also harping on the police brutality and inefficiency in fulfilling their duty; well, congratulations, the Sindh police, it seems, is now a prime example of being inefficient and creating systemic barriers for survivors of sexual violence. Honestly, I am not interested in any commentary that says why the focus should be on Pakistan on the issue of rape of minors. It has to be because this is our home. We should be fixing it first before pointing any fingers towards our neighbour, as we have not been any better. This is also important, as no one claims to be more pious than our ‘Muslim, Pakistani male’. I am also not interested in any kind of rape apologia either from the PPP supporters. Asking for accountability from the establishment and the ruling party is our democratic right; if we want the system to work, we must be critical of it when there is need to do so. Honestly, have some shame. This is a rape of a minor, which means that it can happen to anyone’s child anywhere by some rich, influential feudal lord, who thought it was his birthright to do so and that he could get away with it. Therefore I am asking everyone to call the MPs in your constituency and ask them what they are doing to protect that little girl. If you are an overseas Pakistani, call your respective embassy and demand to make your voice heard and count. Let us not sit idle. Let us make our voice heard. Demand resignation from the politicians/officials involved in the perpetration and cover-up of this crime, as this is turning into an incident where one rapist is being protected by a rape apologist and sympathiser through providing police protection via his brother’s help and making the survivor’s life more painful. Show your outrage through different forums; the survivor’s family needs you. Show them that they are not alone during this ordeal. Remember, no child is protected in Pakistan until all children are. Speak up, make some noise, make your voice heard, this is your democratic right. The writer is a Pakistani-Canadian forensic analyst working in the Ontario community on issues of racism and women’s rights. She tweets @ashsultana