Multan 'revenge rape': Panchayat order sends shockwaves across the country
The girl was reportedly raped in front of the family to serve as a form of punishment. Photo: AFP
(Web Desk) - A 17-year-old girl was raped on orders of a panchayat in South of Punjab – Multan to punish her brother who had earlier raped a 12-year-old.
The gruesome incident involving ‘revenge rape’ has caused public outrage across Pakistan and has stirred the government into action.
The ruling PML-N which enjoys a massive political support in Punjab has also been criticised over its ‘governance’ in the province where the incident took place earlier this week.
As soon as the incident reported by international media as well, the Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif sprang into action, announcing the formation of an inquiry committee. He later visited Multan to meet the victims and their families.
Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the victims families in Multan. Photo: Government of Punjab
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar took suo moto notice of the case and has summoned an instant report in this regard from Punjab IG.
"Both the parties had filed cases of rape against each other at the local police station after the incident that happened last week," said Rashid Taheem, the police officer heading the investigation.
The suspects include the alleged rapist Ishfaque and the panchayat leader who gave the order - Haq Nawaz, along with the girl’s brothers Umer Wada and Saeed Numberdar.
The girl was reportedly raped in front of the family to serve as a form of punishment.
The house where a teenage girl was raped in Multan on orders of a panchayat. Photo AFP
While some reports say the group that ordered the rape was a jirga - or village council - BBC sources said it was actually formed by members of the two families.
#Multan is also trending on Twitter as Pakistanis have taken to the micro blogging website to vent their anger over the incident.
Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif also demoted and fired police officials for not handling the matter properly and delaying the arrest of suspects in the case.
"if the FIR was lodged on 20th July, why weren t the accused arrested on the same day?" @CMShehbaz to RPO Multan. #MultanVaniCase
— Govt Of The Punjab (@GovtOfPunjab) July 27, 2017
CM has ordered to make City Police Officer Multan & DPO Multan OSD. He has suspended the whole staff of relevant Police Station in Multan. pic.twitter.com/1MMC7ti5xI
— Govt Of The Punjab (@GovtOfPunjab) July 27, 2017
The ‘Jirga’ or ‘Panchayat’ system in Pakistan has influence over the communities in rural areas as most people prefer to resolve their matters through arbitration rather than taking relying on the legal justice system.
In February, the National Assembly passed a bill to legitimise the ‘Jirga/panchayat’ system to reduce the burden on the legal system.
The move was heavily criticised in light of the barbaric events that were a cause of decisions taken by panchayat leaders. They often take decisions that are termed misogynistic, inhumane, and unfair often resulting in violence against women.
