TRIGGER WARNING!
Pakistan has been officially declared the 6th most dangerous country for women to live in. And it comes as no surprise considering the number of cases related to violence, abuse, rape, child rape and sexual harassment that have been emerging on a daily basis. According to The News, official statistics revealed that there are 11 rape cases reported every day in Pakistan. However, these statistics are to an extent inaccurate as thousands of these cases go unreported in the name of honor and the mere fact that the criminals do not get convicted. And even if they are convicted, they are released after a minimal sentence completely disregarding the physical and mental ordeal that the survivor went through. Several of these cases never make it to the police as the victims are murdered after sexual abuse and their bodies are dumped in gutters or wastelands.
In the past month alone, several cases of abuse against women have surfaced including that of Qurat-ul-ain, who had been suffering domestic violence for years, and then was tortured and killed at the hands of her husband on July 15th. Another horrific murder occurred, not two days later, on 18th July, of Saima, whose husband shot and killed her also injuring their children.
And, on the eve of Eid-ul-Adha, the horrific and gruesome murder of Noor Makadam that made headline news, shook the nation.
According to reports it is suggested that Noor was gone from her home for about 2 days before the news of her death reached her parents, which has been confirmed by her father in the FIR . What the investigators have managed to find out as of yet is a rough, but decisive, sketch of occurrences leading to her mournful death.
In accordance with the reports that have been confirmed, Noor was called over by Zahir Jaffar and they met in Islamabad’s F 7/4. Upon her arrival, she was locked in a room by Zahir. Her friends came forward with information regarding texts that were sent to them, by her, saying that she is not safe and to send help. When her friends reached the residence, they were not allowed inside by the guard present at the entrance gate and they could no longer contact Noor. They also report seeing Zahir standing on the balcony with firearms.
An official statement made by a police officer in court states that Noor was witnessed trying to escape by jumping from an air shaft but was dragged, by hair, back inside. These events were occurring in front of the household staff and the police officer went as far as to say that if the servants had reported to the police on time, Noor’s murder could have been prevented.
One of her friends outside then called Therapy works who, upon arriving at the location, forced their way inside. By the time they reached inside Noor was already dead. She was found beheaded, with numerous signs of torture and stab wounds, on July 20th.
Zahir Jaffar was immediately taken into custody.
Several attempts were made to deviate the case from a cruel homicide to involuntary manslaughter by suggesting that Zahir Jaffar was mentally unstable and/or under the influence of drugs. However, these strives were completely trumped by the statements given by the Therapy Works workers who found Zahir to be sound of mind and not under any influence of drugs or alcohol.
Further reports suggests that this homicide could have been completely premeditated since Zahir Jaffar was supposed to leave the country for USA two days after the murder occurred. What, allegedly, prompted this brutal act was the fact that Noor wanted nothing to do with Zahir and was going to keep her distance, as told by one of her friends.
After a thorough search of the f 7/4 residence, the police recovered a pistol, knuckledusters which were used for merciless torture and a knife which was used to stab and decapitate Noor. Upon recovering the phones hidden by Zahir, a chain of messages between Noor and her driver suggests that Zahir was asking for money as Noor had asked her driver to arrange 700,000 (7 Lakh) without her parents finding out.
In the FIR lodged by Noor’s father, Shaukat Makadam, it is stated that both the parents were out on different errands when Noor left her residence. She later contacted her father telling him that she was going on a trip to Lahore with her friends. The next day Noor’s father received a call from the alleged murderer saying that Noor was not with him. Later that same day, Shaukat Makadam was contacted by the police with the news of his daughter’s murder.
After the news of Noor’s homicide, and its circumstances, spread throughout the country, many people took to social media and made posts suggesting that the murder would not have taken place if Noor had not, consciously and willingly, gone to Zahir’s residence in the first place.
Several of the said people have given their opinion on the basis of religious rules, and gone on to condemn any kind of relationship between a man and a woman which is not familial or marital. They have further spoken about Zahir being a Na Mehram and, indirectly, holding Noor responsible for her own murder.
This is not the first time Victim blaming has found its way into a crime. In fact, several crimes in relation with sexual harassment, sexual abuse and rape have resulted in the victim/survivor being blamed for the crime. Specifically with cases of harassment and rape, questions regarding the victim’s clothes and the time of day always arise and, more often than not, the victim is blamed for being raped or harassed for not wearing appropriate clothing or being out at an “inappropriate” time.
Even the Prime Minister of Pakistan, when asked about steps taken by the government to prevent sexual abuse, stated that the rising levels of these cases are a result of “increasing obscenity” and women of Pakistan should remove “temptation” and observe “purdah” (women wearing modest clothing and segregation between sexes) as “not everyone has willpower”.
His statement was met with widespread anger and disappointment, with several people calling him out for victim blaming and being a rape apologist. PM Imran Khan later corrected his statement stating that his words were taken out of context and, in a rape, only the rapist is responsible.
So far there are no constitutional laws against victim blaming thus taking legal action against the instigators is impossible. Especially when the said victim blaming is a result of the survivor not appropriately following religious rules.
Several of Noor’s friends have come forward and said that both Noor and Zahir were childhood friends as their families had been on friendly terms for a long time. So, for Noor, Zahir was no stranger on a street but a very good friend. The circumstances under which Noor left her house and later called her father to say she was going on a trip with friends can only be assumed to be horrifying.
Further investigations conducted into Zahir’s life revealed that he has been deported from England because of reports made against him for sexual harassment and rape. Not only that but he also has pending cases of the same nature in USA.
The cruel murder of Noor at the hands of her friend further proves the fact that the ones who commit these heinous crimes are not always monsters and demons, as portrayed by the media, but, more often than not, are the normal people around you who you probably trust or call a friend. In a country where domestic abuse is disregarded under the shroud of domestic disputes, where victims/survivors of rape are being blamed for the crime, where murdered victims are blamed for instigating their own death, one does wonder if Pakistan will ever become a safe place for women.
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