Is our conscience alive!

Qudsia Kadri

TOUCHE! We have done it again. And all hands point towards our policy-decision makers sitting in Islamabad. How do we as a nation continue to abet in horrendous crimes like rape against the women of this country? Are we totally shameless, or will our head of state continue to operate under pressure and dictation for fear of facing consequences from these sources?
We write about the victimization, the torture, the confinement of Sonia Naz, the unfortunate latest victim to join the category of Mukhtaran Mai, Dr. Shazia Khalid and many more sorrowful and untold cases of rape at the behest and orders of powerful and influential people in this so called Islamic nation. We are not concerned with details any more, what we as women demand to know from our rulers is why was the victim sent to Adiala Jail by the Speaker of the House, was it only for straying into the National Assembly building? A so-called "August House" where all day long abuses, counter abuses and theatrical performances take place. The Speaker after throwing Sonia Naz into prison obviously could not careless as to the predicament of a young woman who had not committed any crime, punishable by imprisonment. Ms. Mehnaz Rafi, we choose to not even delve on your position as a woman to defend your "vicious act" of having arrested a young female intruder on the pretext of the parliament, being a sacred place.
Even if Ms. Rafi had her arrested she should have kept track of the aftermath of the tragedy that had followed. Ms. Mehnaz Rafi, you are after all a mother, a sister and a daughter. And Mr. Prime Minister our question to you is why have you not suspended the SP Khalid Abdullah from his position? What is stopping you from taking this action as it is a well known fact that no investigation of any institution or any individual who is accused of the crime can take place till the accused in the case is removed from his or her position. Where in the democratic civilised world does this happen and particularly when the accused is a senior member of the police - the force which is being accused and is going to be responsible for the investigation process and providing records.
Mr. Prime Minister are we going to await a "document" called a report, because you are well aware that none of these reports are ever made public, and the people start losing very rapidly their belief in the system, the judiciary and most importantly the government. We are still awaiting many reports and the one on Dr. Shazia Khalid is still unresolved and a mystery. We cannot sit by and watch helplessly every time a woman's honour is stripped off, every time she is tortured and hounded by unscrupulous demons. What we ask is for punishment - the worst kind to be meted out to the offenders of these barbaric acts of rape. To these predators of human flesh, no one, absolutely no one is above the law and the same rules must apply to all without bias and prejudice. Our law and decision makers sitting in Islamabad please get your house in order before all fails and it is too late to take corrective measures.