Peshawar High Court’s ruling of freeing a rapist after he married his victim is a tight slap on the face of justice and human rights. The verdict came out preceded by the local Jirga’s facilitation of out-of-court settlement (marriage of the victim and rapist) between the families of the victim and the rapist. This settlement is a clear reflection of the deep-rooted patriarchal mindset of Pakistani society that equates a female victim to her male molester.

Whether it was Safia Bibi, whose rape turned into fornication under the Hadood Ordinance or Mukhtara Mai, who had repaid the cost of what had been done by her brother in the shape of “honour rape”, women were always treated like subjects with no voice and choice. The PHC’s ruling is a step backward in ensuring justice, rather it is considered as a step forward in making the rape culture to be normalized even more lucrative as the criminal act will not cost anything to the offender but will incentivize him in the shape of marriage to his victim.

It is an absurd development, especially in the context of KP where women’s lives are already controlled by their male guardians under the pretext of socio-religious obligations. Another serious issue faced by rape survivors is the social stigma that caused them not to utter a word about the heinous crime that has been committed against them.

Source: Pakistan Observer (Editorial)