The Kasur fallout

Lahore: Child pornography is a crime in USA, UK, Zambia, South Africa and India,generally the punishments for the crime ranges from criminal penalties may include imprisonment, fines, registration as a sex offender, and restrictions on probation and parole. Civil penalties may include liability for damages, injunctions, involuntary commitment, and for perpetrators related to the victims, loss of custody or parental rights.

But when the Child Sex Abuse Scandal surfaced in Punjab, Pakistan’s largest province, it raised serious questions as we do not have any law for this offence. In 2014 Marvi Memon of PML-N tabled a bill on this however till today it awaits deliberation. This heinous crime and business has been going on for years but it was being hushed up for one or the other reason till The Nation brought this news into the lime light.

As would have been expected, the blame game started on the very day the scam was unraveled and by evening the initial news was being manipulated to appear as a land grabbing issue; according to Rana Sanaullah the Punjab Law Minister the child molestation case was baseless. The Chief Minister Punjab said strict action would be taken against the culprits and they will face punishment according to the law (which does not exist). On the other hand the parents of the victims are complaining of lack of cooperation and sympathy from the police. No one is ready to hear their plea or record their statements apart from the few that have been recorded even when they have been extorted into giving huge amounts of money as blackmail by the people involved.

On the afternoon of August 9, around 40 to 50 people gathered at Charing Crosson Shahrah-e-Quaid-e-Azam in Lahore to protest against the child abuse scandal in Kasur . They raised slogans against the government and asked for CM Punjab’s resignation. Slogans of Go Shahbaz Go were raised and then slogans in favor of PPP were raised too as some of the people these belonged to PSF which was not liked by members of the civil society present there.

Farzana Bari a human rights activist coming straight from Kasur where she spoke to the victims and their families joined the protest,said, “If only people had come forward earlier in 2006 when this was initially started, things would not have gotten so far. Even the police were telling them why they want to bring shame to their families?Due to this people were not ready to file an FIR.”  She further said, “If we want to make this a test case then we have to be very demanding and rigid in our stance. We must demand justice at all costs even with the government trying to cover up the case. This case should not be brushed under the carpet or let go in the hands of a committee that does not work. We should give the government a time frame to get results on time and the culprits should be punished severely.”

Khuram Zaki of Let Us Build Pakistan (LUBP) said “It’s a shame that RanaSanaullah wants to cover up this scandal and blamed NGOs and civil society for creating a racket over nothing. We have seen that kids under 14 years of age have suffered rape for the past 10 years. It is time to take care of them and get them treated instead of passing such statements. RanaSanaullah first covered upSipahSahabaand now he is covering up these rapists, he should resign now.”

Apart from these speakers many other protesters expressed their anger and demanded justice for the children of Kasur .

Ayub Ayubi the founder of Renaissance by Social Innovation, Pakistan when asked by this correspondent about the incident said that we should keep three points in view. “Firstly it is in the rural area where the ‘ghairat brigade’ is always very active leading to people suppressing the issues. Even though the case is condemnable but we have to understand how those people live and what are their norms and traditions. It is upto us that we help those people understand the seriousness of the issue.”

Movingon to the second part he said, “The kids should know that they can speak to someoneif they are in such a situation. They should be educated and told how to stay away from unknown and not allow anyone to touch them. Lastly those in the government and in police need to sort this issue out as soon as possible.”

Ayubi asked the Ulem as to play a role in handling these crises.“Apart from this the imams of the mosque should come forward and educate the masses in the light of Islam.”

Saiqa Raziq the Executive-Director of Centre for Psychosocial Support said, “This incident should be strongly condemned as it is against the human rights of those children. It is beyond belief that anyone from any sphere of life can support this act especially when it is coming from the government.”Regarding the condition of the children and families she said, “The whole incident is a huge trauma for these children and down the lane there is a possibility that they will fall into a vicious cycle because they know their body does not belong to them. In all this time they have not learnt to defend themselves due to which when they grow up they will have a lot of hardships in controlling their anger and frustration. This will leave a lasting impact on the parents as well as on society as a whole.”

Nida Tareen Barrister and the Principal of School of International law said, “Firstly as a mother I am in a shock since I have heard this news; these people are sick minded and they should be punished as severely as possible; but along with this we should start educating our children too about warning signs and what types of harassment they can face.”

When asked how to improve the situation she said, “Our children do not have the confidence of discussing things with parents; this has to stop, we have to give them space and build a relationship where they can comfortably approach the mother or father and open their hearts out.”On law and justice she said that from the legal point of view how do we expect people to come out and complain when they themselves do not know what their rights are? We need to educate the masses at the grass root level.

Muhammad Jibran Nasir an activist said that “Not too long ago M. Ali Naqvi made a documentary ‘Streets of Shame’ on child abuse. It showed how Pakistani children have sufferedfor a long time. This crime is not confined to one area; rather it is present even in the most posh areas of the city.One of the basic reasons for this crime to flourish in our society is parents’ negligence.”He further said, “When we speak of the Kasur incident we have to accept the fact that such crimes are happening in all over Pakistan in different colors or shades. Domestic workers are abused at home; children are raped while they are at work, and even when they go to schools. There are areas where people put up bazaars to sell kids. These issues have been simmering for too long and now they should be tackled in a manner that would not only resolve the crises but also help children to speak up and educate them about sexual education. They need to be aware of all the signs.”

When asked how to impart education in the children he said, “Even though social media is a great tool to impart education to children on this topic but people living in Kasur may not have access to it. This has to be done by the government in an organized manner according to law,”

To a question his comment was, “In the context of law, these children are of under 18 of age so they cannot contest, the video samples can be collected under the article of 184 and evidence can be used. There is another very important part that we cannot miss, according to story in The Nation one of the videos show a 10 year old girl being raped and videotaped by a 14 year old boy, which means he is a juvenile. That complicates the matter and raises questions on how children were brainwashed to become rapists.Moreover the identity of the victims should not be released but the culprits should be unmasked after they have been sentenced. This does not come under the act of terrorism as it is not being done at a time of war.Military courts are not for such cases, civil courts exist and this should be taken up there.”

General Mustafa (Retired) an analyst and strategist opined, “It is really shameful that in an Islamic state such a scandal has surfaced. It is pathetic that police and local administration is not taking interest in this and apparently favors are being granted on political basis which are even worse. All those who are trying to cover it up should be charged and sent to military courts. This scandal speaks very poorly of the law and order situation of the country.”

When told that public is demanding for COAS Raheel Sharif to take action as he did after APS Peshawar attack he said,“Justice can be provided by the Government only; COAS Raheel Sharif should not get involved.About getting hold of the videos sold abroad he said it was doubtful if anything can be about it since when we can’t do anything within our country will we do abroad?”

Asad Umar a Legislator from the PTI said “I have not seen anything as shameful as this incident. Wrong acts and crimes happen in all societies and states. But it is the duty of the government to look into the matter and provide justice to the victims of the incidents.” When asked what PTI will do if the government does not take the right steps he said, “PTI will put as much pressure as needed on the government and I will be taking this up in the assembly too.”

Professor Pervez Hoodbhoy Pakistani nuclear physicist, essayist and national security analyst shares his views on this incident, “The sexual abuse of children occurs more in situations where people are forbidden from healthy sexual activity. The Roman Catholic Church is one example – because priests are forbidden to marry or have any kind of sexual relations, they often become perverts and use young boys and girls to fulfilltheir lust.” He further said, “In all matters related to sex, Pakistani society is extremely repressed. This is very unhealthy and leads to terrible consequences. In particular there is widespread exploitation of children. The disgusting episode now in the press is met with an equally disgusting effort to hush up the matter. But will this evil exploitation of young children go away by simply drawing a curtain over it?”

On education and awareness he says “Personally, I think that a straightforward, scientific discussion of the human body and human sexual instincts is necessary for all people to be well adjusted and live normal lives. Children must be taught the basics of the reproductive system so that they can protect themselves from sexual predators.”

Tahir Ashrafi a prominent religious scholar and Chief of the All Pakistan Ulema Council said, “This incident presents the worst picture of our society, but the reaction from the government is even more disappointing. Today the Pakistan Ullema Council has demanded to take this case to Military Courts and put up a joint investigation team to take a look in this matter as a Judicial Committee will be no good in this case.” On the involvement of police and people trying to cover up the case he said, “It is very upsetting that the police and people from the government are saying that very few incidents have taken place; it is not about how many acts have taken place, but why did they happen.Evenif one incident happenedit should be dealt with an iron hand and not be covered up.When Quaid-e-Azam made Pakistan his aim was to make it livable for everyone and justice be provided for all but things are not like that now.”

Regarding punishments for the culprits he said,“We demand that in the next three months the culprits should be publically hanged at the Minar-e-Pakistan so they are made an example of.He said he would like to ask those Human Rights Activists who are against capital punishment what was the fault of the children and their families and why should these culprits not be handed?”

He said that in the light of Islamic injunctions “such people should be taken to the highest mountain and thrown down the top of it so that they are made an example for all, however under this government it will not be possible. If justice is not provided then we will go to Kasur on Friday and stand by the families till they are not provided justice.”

The Kasur scandal has shaken the moral fabric of our society, no one anywhere in Pakistan or abroad has left any stone unturned to condemn it and stand in support of the victims and their families many of who are also victims of blackmail by these unscrupulous elements. Now everyone looks to the government to ensure that not only exemplary punishment is meted out to these perpetrators but legislation is done to prevent anyone doing such a crime in future.

This article was published in The Nation on 11 Aug 2015

Punjab government hosts Pur Aman Pakistan initiative

Lahore: The APS Peshawar attack of 16 December 2014 united the people to say “No to Terrorism” and demand a peaceful Pakistan . The Punjab government and the Minister for Education and Youth Affairs Rana Mashhood Ahmed took an initiative to create awareness of a “Peaceful and PurAman Pakistan .”

To present this initiative “Peaceful Pakistan” and the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) organized an event at the Arfa Karim Software Technology Park in Lahore recently to discuss “Peace Narrative and Anti Terrorism Discourse” with Bloggers and journalists.

Anumber of people played an important role to make this event a success. The mothers of APS Peshawar Children, PITB Chairman Dr. Umar Saif, and Col. Farooq from the ISPR, were the Chief Guests at the event. Along with them renowned media people and peace activists were on the panel. Adeel Hashmi, Managing Director of Lights Storm Communications, Omair Rana CEO of Real Production and Fariha Rashid CEO of INK and PITCH Media were the panelist.

The program opened with the National Anthem and recitation from the Quran. Videos of APS Peshawar children and promises of the youth to make Pakistan a better place were shown. The discussion opened with the panelists introducing themselves. Umair Rana chaired the session and Adeel Hashmi kept lightening up the mood as it got serious. The aim of the discussion was to find ways and means of attaining peace in Pakistan , fulfilling our roles are a citizen of the state.

Adeel Hashmi spoke on tolerance and said, “We as a nation are lacking tolerance now. Even those who are educated are lacking the basic element. Social media is becoming a battle field, people are not ready to have healthy discussions, rather death threats and fights are the ‘in’ thing. We have completely gone astray from our culture, heritage, traditions and language. Peaceful Pakistan is an encouraging move by the government that is sure to bring a about a positive change in our society. The youth has a vital role to play because it is the future of Pakistan . Look beyond your differences and build the Pakistan Quaid e Azam dreamt of.”

Fariha Rashid said, “Our educational syllabus needs to be revised. Our future generation is going to live in this country and they have to understand how things work. They should be taught the constitution and laws so that they are aware of their duties and rights. There’s no power that can undo Pakistan . As writers and bloggers we have the power to influence public opinion. If you need a stable country, you need to be active part of Peaceful Pakistan .”

Umair Rana said, “Our providence is in tolerance. For too long we have either been too quiet or too loud. We have neither respected the spoken word nor listened to it. It is essential for us now to take a deep breath and learn to listen. For if we do not listen to the sounds, deafness may follow, and then shouts and screams of help won’t be heard, even yours, even mine.”

Mother of Maaz, an APS Peshawar under treatment student said, “Initially when the attack took place I was very upset but later I realized we were the chosen ones from Allah. Due to us and our children sacrifices Pakistan became united. Maaz is a very brave child, when the school reopened he made sure he went to school the first day. He was not afraid even after being critically injured.” She commented on the society at large and said, we do not tolerate the government increasing prices of commodities, or the law and order conditions are messed up, but are not so when it is happening within our four walls. We have failed somewhere in our homes due to which people are no more tolerant.”

Col. Farooq of ISPR said, “Zarb e Azb has been a success due to public and media support. The Army is doing everything to handle this menace and end it once and for all. We are focused on our task and have made major achievements.”

Dr Umer Saif said, “In today’s world of media and technology it is easier to reach out to others and motivate them to join hands in pursuing peace and brotherhood. The Government of Punjab is committed to bringing together Pakistanis across the nation regardless of their culture, faith and class. Through Peaceful Pakistan , an active online community, we aim to build a united and harmonious society that eradicates extremism and promotes peaceful narratives. We urge people from all walks of life to join hands with us and work towards building a Peaceful Pakistan .”

The participants who included students, bloggers, media persons and IT professions asked pertinent and often hard hitting questions which were taken and handled by the panelists very well, and the event was a success.

This article has been published in The Nation on 9th August 2015

The various shades of Chand raat

As the last ten days of Ramzan are coming to an end we see these days becoming associated with Eid shopping and festivity rather than the last Ashra, or about finding the odd nights to benefit from “Lailatul Qadar.” Illuminations are put up in markets, families are out shopping and finding bargains, make shift stalls selling bangles and henna are everywhere, unending arguments with tailors are the norm, and there is an excitement for the end of the ramzan in the air!

And then comes “chand raat” the evening of the sighting of the moon! Elders in the family try to maintain the traditional methods of celebrating ways of old times, preparing “sawaiyan (vermicelli’s),” “sheer khurma (vermicelli sweet dish),” and making sure to add “chuare (dried dates)” in these dishes no matter what other dry fruits, raisins and all go in it!

However during this time of joy and celebration we tend to forget the less privileged around us; and that is where the division in society starts.

Not lagging behind I also went shopping; but while at it, the journalist in me came to the fore and I spoke to people in the market asking their views on Eid . Most said that Eid is the time to celebrate and thank Allah for the passing of Ramzan; thanks for being able to fast throughout the month despite the scorching heat. Many said that the people who really deserve praise are those who worked on making and repairing, or cleaning roads during the month.

One lady excitedly said her children were fasting for the first time this ramzan, so this Eid was more memorable for them; he was happy to see them grow up and are understanding the basics of Islam.

There were kids buying new clothes and presents for friends. A girl was having henna applied on her hands she said her Eid clothes are ready and she would be getting bangles after having the henna applied, she confided that her mother was at home preparing food for eid , and she getting ready for Eid . A man tagging along his family said, Eid is the time when we all come out together and go for shopping. He could give time to his wife and children otherwise people are so busy earning and taking care of routine things that one hardly get time to sit together and talk even. Teenagers were in a total celebratory mood, ogling, just standing about watching, and having the post iftari gool gappas to change the taste of iftar!

One teenager was happy to confide that he was very happy as this ramzan as he had done iftari with people on the road. He went with groups who had arranged iftaris and he worked with them in distributing this on the road side or in an organized dastarkhawan; he was excited that he looked forward to doing this next year.

And of course what is Eid without beggars? Although they can be seen the whole year round, however on Eid they can be seen everywhere. Maybe they can not be blamed for begging to supplement their limited resources as even this hardly gets them anywhere. A beggar woman carrying her baby in arms said, there is hardly anything to eat for us, and people think we are professional beggars. If we were professionals we would have earned enough throughout the year and today we would have been celebrating Chand raat with you.

Another poor woman said they never got new clothes made like people even on Eid , she ruefully looked at the lady shoppers in brightly lit dress stores bargaining for designer and other dresses costing thousands; with downcast eyes she said they wear hand me downs the whole year; the food we eat on Eid is the same that we eat every day of the year, which is nothing like the lavish food people serve their guests in their dining rooms.

A women with three children of different ages clinging to her, all three tired and sleepy after a day of tagging behind the mother for a pittance, said going from door to door asking for Eidi was a real turn down and people always turn us away by literally throwing Rupees 5 to 50 at us and scornfully saying go find some work! She asked me if I knew how expensive things were these days?

What made me stop this line of so research into Eid shopping for me was the comment of a young girl begging for a samosa from the stall and being sent away’ Do we not have any right to even have get a samosa in charity? Celebrating Eid is a far cry for the likes of us!

This article has been published in The Nation on 17 July 2015