On Wednesday, a girl named Noor Mukadam, daughter of former diplomat, was allegedly killed by a person, Zahir Jaffir, at her house in Islamabad. According to the investigation officer, the victim was first shot and then beheaded brutally with a weapon that was found with the murder. The police have arrested the culprit and are looking into the matter to produce reasonable results. 

Further reports about Zahir Jaffir revealed the fact that he has been found dealing with mental abnormalities. Ayesha Siddiqa, an independent scholar and research associate, states, “It seems that Zahir Jaffer had a longstanding drug abuse problem which is why he tried several times but could not finish college and then installed in family business.” 

Another fact has been surfaced shows that Zahir belongs to one of the richest families of the country, which, experts say, might push him to use his influence to escape from the punishment. 

Observers say that the violence against women in Pakistan continues to rise unabated with no check and balance on the perpetrators. The latter enjoys impunity and fearlessly commits crimes as he does not meet with stringent punishments as per the requirements of law. 

Nonetheless, health experts say that mental health patients, no matter how paranoid they are, cannot be allowed to play heinously with the lives of people. This is especially critical for women for whom the society has become more than a haunting place. 

Activists urge the state to provide the mentally handicapped persons the required treatment and subject them to scrutiny so that they do not harm anyone. There are a myriad cases in our society where a man beats and kills a woman out of mental sickness and later gets exempted from punishment due to his psychological disorder. 

A United Nations research study deduced that 50% of the women in Pakistan are physically battered and 90% are mentally and verbally abused by men. Activists say that when such men get freedom from justice, violence becomes inevitable, and the women are reduced to mere animals, who have to meet with brutal treatments from men. 

Critics suggest that it all happens because law has failed to protect women in Pakistan. Even after decades of struggle and subsequent legislation, the country has not come out of this chaotic situation where the women feel threatened in surroundings where men are placed. 

Observers note that women cannot leave their homes safely nor do they live in them peacefully. It affects their wellbeing and hinders them from contributing effectively to the society. 

Standing with the perpetrators and giving them the chance to commit violence have exacerbated the existing scenario. Farzana Bari, a renowned writer and women’s rights activist holds the patriarchal attitudes that are widespread in Pakistan responsible for the issue. “No government has ever tried to put an end to this mindset,” she said. 

Last year, a report titled ‘Violence against women and girls in the time of COVID 19 Pandemic’ was launched by Aurat Foundation in collaboration with SAP-PK.  The report showed that 2,297 cases of violence against women (VAM) were reported from January to December 2020. Experts say the cases are astonishingly high given that COVID-19 blocked the reporting of such cases on regular basis. 

“Another day. Another woman brutally killed. Another hashtag. Another trauma. Another (likely) unsolved case. Another trigger. Another fear fest. Another rage roar. Another eid.Congratulations to those opposing ‘protection of women’ bill,” noted singer and feminist icon Meesha Shafi.

Further findings showed that among the total number of VAW incidents, 57 per cent were reported from Punjab, 27 per cent from Sindh, 8 per cent from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 6 per cent from Gilgit Baltistan, and 2 per cent from Balochistan.

Experts opine that violence against women has acquired a horrible pattern in our society due to the negligence on the part of the law enforcement agencies and faulty justice system. The cases linger on for years and are not resolved on time. The special courts created to handle such issues do not meet the requirements and timely deliverance of justice. 

Pakistan is a signatory of Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) that demands from the state to protect women from violence and other gender-based issues that hinders their peaceful existence in the society. Activists say that in order to safely meet the conditions of the convention, a strategic framework is needed. 

“Those who are asking parents to be vigilant about what happens to their girls - please ask yourself if vigilance ever served to prevent crime? What prevents crime is punishment,” noted Women’s Advancement Hub Cofounder Aisha Fayyazi Sarwari.

Experts urge the government to immediately resolve the pending cases, and appoint honest and professional judges to special courts anew. They also ask the government align policies in a manner that provides women safe environment to work and live in all the public places, with state institution launching a campaign to hold the persons accountable who are found insulting, intimidating, and threatening women. 

Many analysts reiterate that legal advice services, rehabilitation centers, mental counselling sessions, information cells and phone helplines are important measures to raise awareness and empower women and help them cope with the existing situation. They also urge equal access to opportunities and a dignified status through economic stability, which will further strengthen the position of women.