Horror unfolded in Sindh’s Jacobabad when police allegedly gang-raped a detained minor, thrusting Pakistan’s flawed justice apparatus into the spotlight. Arrests of six officers offer cold comfort; per The Express Tribune, they evade the rot at higher levels.
Illegal co-mingling of female detainees with men set the stage for tragedy. The analysis cuts deep: ‘Custody curbs power—here, it unleashed it.’ Pre-assault, the state abdicated responsibility. Using innocents as leverage against fugitives? A barbaric ploy unfit for any democracy.
Persistence stems from impunity: punishments are anomalies, turning police into peril for the aggrieved. Without autonomous grievance channels and shielded informants, justice is illusory.
Glaring deficits—few women cops, idle protection wings—highlight neglect. Safeguards against in-custody harm? Mere rhetoric. Imperatives: Who permitted? Who watched idly? Who bungled response? Who caps probes?
Sahil’s findings contextualize the outrage: 2025’s first 11 months saw 6,543 crimes against women (up 25% from 2024’s 5,253), via comprehensive media audit. Details: 1,414 homicides, 1,144 abductions, 1,060 attacks, 649 suicides, 585 rapes.
Reform blueprint: segregated facilities, rigorous audits, empowered oversight bodies, and zero-tolerance prosecutions. Pakistan cannot afford complacency; the vulnerable demand ironclad protection now.