KASUR-The first death anniversary of nine-year-old Zainab, who was murdered after sexual abuse a year ago, was observed in Kasur by people belonging to all walks of life.
A reference was organised in this connection, which was addressed by Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) president Allama Tahirul Qadri, and was attended by people belonging to various walks of life.
Allama Tahirul Qadri said that 10th of January should be observed as Zainab Day, adding that in Pakistan laws were not to protect the powerful; and the government needed to ensure unyielding legalisation in this regard. Citing BBC report, he said that as many as 17,000 child abuse incidents occurred in Pakistan over the past five years; and the Pakistani institutions said that out of 17,000 cases only 4,000 were reported to police which clearly showed a large number of child abuse victims did not complain to police and silenced over what happened to them. He reiterated that laws in Pakistan were not to protect the powerful, adding that the poor man in Pakistan was disappointed; and the child abuse cases were the manifestation of the deep-rooted ignorance prevalent in Pakistani society. He stated that there were three people responsible for protecting children from such incidents: first is the government, second are the parents and third is the society.
It’s to be noted that it has now a year since Zainab departed her parents, but she still lives in the memory of not only her parents but also the people of Pakistan. Everyone remembers the CCTV footages showing her walking fearlessly, holding the hand of her killer-quite unaware of the circumstances she was to go through. The poor little girl never knew this was her last expedition outside house, and these were her final moments with one whom she profoundly believed her well-wisher. Her brutal murder shook the whole nation from its very foundation; and people in every nook and corner of the country took to roads for justice in unending child murder cases in Kasur district.
Zainab’s mother was on Umrah pilgrimage; and when she heard the news of her daughter’s abduction she was in the city of Medina. It’s beyond imagination how she had pleaded at Rauza-e-Rasool (SAWW) that every person in Kasur took to roads for justice in Zainab murder case which reduced the police to ensure early arrest of the murderer. The Zainab’s class mates become sad whenever they think of her.
