Pakistan: Two Brothers Nabbed For Raping A Minor
By Zafar Iqbal
Police have arrested two young brothers for allegedly raping a six- years- old girl in Pakistan.
“My six year daughter was attacked and sexually assaulted by two brothers when she went to my neighbour’s to buy milk for her family,” a person told local media in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani part of Kashmir, a disputed state divided between India and Pakistan.
Calling for justice the man told the journalists that after the incident one of the accused falsely informed family members of the girl that she had been injured and need medical treatment.
However, during medical examination doctors disclosed that she had been raped. Her condition is stated to be critical in the hospital.
After migrating from violence -torn region of Swat in Northern Pakistan, the family of victim girl was living in a small village in Kashmir where her father was working as labour to meet his ends.
“Life of my innocent girl has been ruined. Only justice can lessen my wounds”, the man said, adding that culprits must be punished by Islamic Law. As per Islamic law rapists must be stone to death.
Human rights groups have expressed concern over growing violence against children and women in the region.
“The government must tighten the laws for the protection of children, women and other vulnerable sections of the society,” says Raja Wasim, a local human rights defender.
In Pakistani administrated Kashmir a significant awareness about juvenile rights has been witnessed after 2005 earthquake when over 17000 children were killed and an estimated 42000 lost one or both of their parents. The disaster also compelled local government and international development agencies to carry out few interventions for child welfare.
Yet, government has failed to develop any robust legal and practical mechanism for existence of protective environment for children and women.
In recent years Pakistani has been accused by international human rights groups for gross human rights violations, especially assaults on minorities, women and girls.
“Mistreatment of women and girls—including rape, domestic violence, and forced marriage—remains a serious problem for the country, says “World Report 2012” issued by The Human Rights Watch.
