The motorway rape incident reminds us all how sub-par measures for women’s safety really are in Pakistan. This stark reminder led actress Ayesha Omar to voice her concerns about how it is not safe for women who struggle day to day in Pakistan.
When it comes to citizen safety, especially those more at risk like women and children, our law reinforcement doesn’t have the crime prevention part down. Even the ‘Smart City Project’ has failed to curb crime.
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Once again the Twitter-sphere is swarmed with a conversation about what needs to be done about women’s safety. People are usually seen blaming the victim, rather than focusing on reforming the police system.
Naturally, celebs like Ayesha Omar used their platform to push the discussion. The Lahore Sey Agay actress had her own ‘what-ifs’ and ‘if-only’ to share.
The Bulbulay actress tweeted,
“What if she or someone in her family needed medical help?”
And what if a woman needs to go out at night for an emergency. What if she or someone in her family needed medical help? I can walk on the streets at 1 am in other parts of the world and feel completely safe but just not in my own country, even inside a car. #motorwayincident
— Ayesha Omar (@ayesha_m_omar) September 10, 2020
Ayesha Omar pointed out how other welfare states do good on ensuring public safety, especially women’s safety. Yet she doesn’t have that sense of security as a citizen within Pakistan.
“I can walk on the streets at 1 am in other parts of the world and feel completely safe but just not in my own country, even inside a car.”
CCPO Lahore’s Victim Shaming
Just days ago a woman and her two children were taken from their vehicle by two men from Lahore motorway and raped. While Netizens were outraged by the callousness of the crime and demanded that law enforcement bring justice for the traumatized mother and children, CCPO Lahore Umer Shaikh resorted to victim shaming.
https://twitter.com/HolaItsAk47/status/1304006578102841345
The Police Officer said that the woman should not have been traveling on her own late at night. The officer had also asserted how ‘its a man’s world‘ by stating how our society does not allow women to travel alone at night and that this was to ensure women’s own safety.
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Which is why the public slammed the police officer.
Ladies, stay safe and stay inside! But if you've to go out, don't forget to call CCPO Lahore Umer sheikh first to ask for the safest route possible where you wouldn't have to deal with such animals which they clearly fail to control ☺#RemoveCCPOLahore #PublicHangingOfRapists
— 💃 (@UthJaoFatima) September 10, 2020
To,
CCPO LAHORE Umer Sheikh
"The Islamic State is the one in which a single, young woman, laden with jewels, can travel from Yemen to Ajam in the last hours of the night without any fear or grief."
Hazrat Umar Ibn Khattab #hangrapistspublicly#motorwayincident
— Ihtisham Ul Haq (@iihtishamm) September 10, 2020
Some netizens asked if this is the individual leading the investigation on the case, how will it affect efficiency?
Intelligence Bureau (IB) report on CCPO Lahore Umer Sheikh when he was posted as RPO D.G. Khan. He was reputed to be financially and morally corrupt (drinker, gambler & womaniser in the area) #RemoveCCPOLahore #UmerSheikh pic.twitter.com/gA8M5b9lyX
— Raza Zaidi (@Razaazaidi) September 11, 2020
Umer sheikh, CCPO/LAHORE,is 'C' category officer as per FPSC,results and not fit for Promotion from BPS 20 to BPS-21. He belongs to 18th ctp officer. It reveals that his appointment is on political basis not on merit
— Muhammad Alam (@Muhamma24521278) September 9, 2020
Despite the onslaught online, CCPO Lahore doubled down:
“I would have said the same for my own sister or daughter, and asked his own sister or daughter the same questions,”
۔ @CcpoLahore کو برا بھلا کہنے والے پہلے ان کا بیان بھی سن لیں اور اس میں کوئی شک نہیں کہ بالکل یہی بات میں اپنی بہن بیٹی کیلیے بھی کہتا، بالکل یہی سوالات میں اپنی بہن بیٹی سے بھی پوچھتا
۔#CCPOLahore کو نشانہ بنانے کی بجائے مجرموں کو کیفر کردار تک پہنچانے کیلیے آواز اٹھائیں 🙏 pic.twitter.com/Z7YeMZn6TW
— Nadeem Zaidi (@_NadeemZaidi) September 10, 2020
Asserting the fact that our society isn’t big on civil security for women isn’t something to be proud of, it’s a setback we need to fix.
Apart from hanging, is there any suggestions on how we can make the motor ways safe as increasing more personnel on highways is not the solution.
1. Close all the motorways to towns and cities and make the roads so no car can come in between the highways without using the entrances and exits.
2. Take pictures of the passengers in the entrance of the motorways.
3. Scan NIC and Pic on entrance of motorways
4. Use drones for surveillance with night mode cameras.
5. Send drones as soon as issue occurs.