Lahore, 28 July 2023 – On July 6, 2023, a seven-year-old girl, Javeria, daughter of Javed Masih, fell victim to a brutal rape in the rural village of 40/12L Tehsil Chichawatni, District Sahiwal. Minority rights activists in Pakistan express deep concern over the ongoing violations against minority girls and women, as they once again witness a horrifying act of violence against one of their very young members.
The details surrounding the incident reveal that Javeria had gone to buy some goods from a shop in the evening. When she did not return, her father, Javed Masih, embarked on a search for her. To his horror, he heard his daughter’s cries from inside a building in Chapar Ishaq Dindar. Upon entering, he discovered Shabir, son of Mukhtar, in the act of raping young Javeria.
Javed Masih, a Christian man, raised an alarm, prompting local people to gather. Witnesses Yusuf Masih and Abu Bakr, son of Mushtaq, also witnessed the appalling incident.
In an attempt to evade the gathering of people, the accused, Shabir, escaped, while uttering threats. Javed Masih immediately rushed his daughter to Tehsil Hospital Chichawatni, from where Javeria was referred to District Hospital Sahiwal for further medical attention.
The police station Sadar Chichawatani has registered a case (number 731/23) under section 376 PPC against the accused, Shabir, son of Mukhtar Machhi. According to the information received, the culprit has been arrested, and legal proceedings are currently underway.
Reacting to this heinous incident, human rights activist Joseph Jansen, Chairperson of the Voice for Justice, expressed profound regret and grief. He strongly condemns the act, emphasizing that no society should ever tolerate the rape of an innocent seven-year-old girl in any circumstance.
Joseph Jansen explains that girls from religious minorities are specifically targeted because they are less likely to receive help from the police and other officials in their search for justice. Police officers tend to side with persons from the majority religion out of sympathy and prejudice. Persons from religious minorities are also often poor while the perpetrators have the financial resources to escape prosecution. Joseph Jansen explains that there is a culture of impunity that emboldens perpetrators to commit heinous acts.
Human rights activist, Ashik Naz, raised concerns about the accused party’s alleged political connections, which he might use to evade further investigation and prosecution. Persons from the majority religion more often have high-placed connections through friends and family. Pakistan is a country where nepotism is widespread, and connections are used to gain favorable outcomes. Persons from the minority religion usually do not have similar connections and face a wall of resistance and disinterest. Fighting for justice for a person from a religious minority is like swimming against the current. You have to deal with a lot of discrimination, prejudice, and resistance from officials.
Horrific violence against women and girls continues to plague the region due to the lack of proper implementation of existing laws. A women’s rights activist Farhat Rasheed stressed the urgent need for the government to take decisive action in enforcing these laws and setting precedents while punishing the culprits.
According to media reports, more than 10,000 cases of sexual violence against girls and women, including religious minorities, were registered between January 1st, 2023, and April 30, 2023, in the Province of Punjab. Joseph Jansen emphasized the importance of collective efforts from authorities such as the police and judiciary in preventing child rape and violence against women and girls.
The prevailing challenges faced by victims, especially the poor and weak, in lodging complaints and securing justice must be promptly addressed. Authorities must take comprehensive measures to protect the rights and safety of women and girls, regardless of their religious backgrounds.
Rights activists regret the failure of the government to eliminate the ongoing systematic discrimination against minority girls and women under international conventions and obligations.
Rights activists in Pakistan stand united in their call for justice and an end to the targeting of religious minorities. They urge the government to take decisive action to protect the vulnerable and ensure a safer and more just society for all.
