7-year-old’s rape, murder outrages Pakistanis
Child sex abuse tackled openly like never before
KASUR, Pakistan – Child sexual abuse is rampant in this conservative Muslim nation, but it has rarely been addressed openly. Now, the rape and murder of a 7-year-old girl last month is fueling demands for actions to punish predators.
The heinous crime against firstgrader Zainab Ansari has triggered nationwide protests and proposed legislation to hold public executions for those convicted of raping children younger than 14.
“Zainab’s death has opened the debate on child abuse to Pakistan’s public, in media and social media, in a huge way,” said Nadia Jamil, an actress and philanthropist who is among high-profile Pakistanis speaking out since the girl’s body was found in a garbage dump on Jan. 5.
“It’s never been so transparent,” she said. “It really has shaken the nation’s dormant empathy and conscience.”
Zainab’s body was found a day after she went missing. An autopsy report confirmed she was raped, sodomized and strangled. On Jan. 23, police said they arrested Mohammed Imran, 24, who confessed to luring Zainab with food and killing her and at least seven other girls. Police said he could have been part of a child pornography ring.
Anger over inaction by authorities erupted into protests that resulted in two deaths on Jan. 10, when police fired into a crowd. A social media campaign has spread, and 80,000 people have signed a petition on Change.org to hang child abusers.
The unrest reflects frustration over lack of action by the government to crack down on the problem. “In such a situation where government shuts its eyes, crimes against children continue with impunity,” said lawyer Mohmmad Waqas.
Sahil, a group fighting child sexual abuse since 1996, tallied more than 720 incidents in Kasur in the past three years. It lists 12 reports of abuse just this month in the neighborhood where Zainab’s body was found.