Kiran Asim
The recent incident of a young girl raped at a Punjab college has shocked the entire nation, leaving citizens reeling with grief and anger. As parents sent their daughter off to pursue her education, they never imagined they would be saying their final goodbyes. What should have been a place of learning turned into a site of horror, and their daughter returned not with dreams fulfilled but as a lifeless body—a victim of an unimaginable crime.
Th brutality of this incident has stirred a wave of sorrow across Pakistan, but when we look beyond the emotions, disturbing questions arise. Why have the government, the college management, and the police seemingly aligned to protect a minor watchman accused of the crime? Is there a more powerful figure hiding behind the scenes, pulling strings to shield the guilty? The outrage deepens as we recognize the tragic irony: Punjab’s highest offices of power are held by women—the Chief Minister and the Chief Justice. Yet, despite this, girls in the province continue to suffer heinous violence, their basic rights disregarded.
This incident is not an isolated one. Just recently, the nation was shaken by reports from Islamia University Bahawalpur, where a similar case unfolded. And now, in this latest tragedy, the victim was a student, a girl in her college uniform—a symbol of innocence, discipline, and academic aspiration. For those who repeatedly blame a woman’s clothing for inciting violence, this incident should serve as a clear rebuke. Here, there was no question of “immodesty.” The girl was dressed in a full college uniform. Her only “fault” was that she had a dream—a dream to gain an education and make her family proud. But that dream was snatched away by the predators who robbed her of her dignity, humanity, and future.
What of the parents who sent their daughter to college with hopes for her bright future? What do they now have left but indescribable sorrow? The Punjab government’s behavior raises more concerns than it addresses. Who are they trying to protect? Why were male and female students, who rightfully protested the injustice, subjected to violence and beaten into submission? These students, who stood up for their fellow classmate, were met with baton charges and bloody assaults. Their only “crime” was raising their voices for justice, yet they were treated like criminals, arrested, harassed, and threatened within the very walls of their educational institution.
It is deeply concerning that even the police, including senior officers like the DSP, were called in to silence the protests rather than to investigate and ensure accountability for the crime. Instead of swiftly delivering justice and ensuring the safety of students, reports emerged of brutal crackdowns on protesting students by Police Those who dared to raise their voices demanding justice were met with violence and intimidation, even within the sanctity of their own college grounds. The role of Police raises serious concerns. Why did police, including high-ranking officials, (DSP) resort to threatening and harassing them? Such actions undermine trust in the very institutions meant to protect citizens.
This raises a crucial question: how can we trust the system to protect our daughters when it responds to cries for justice with oppression?
The implications of these tragedies are terrifying for the future of education in Punjab, and indeed across Pakistan. Should parents now be forced to keep their daughters at home out of fear for their safety? Do young women no longer have the right to seek education, to pursue their ambitions? Are our schools and colleges turning into dens of exploitation, where predators roam unchecked, preying on the most vulnerable? Is there no sanctity left in educational institutions
Our society is at a crossroads. We must decide whether we will stand by and watch as our girls are treated as mere objects for the fulfillment of others’ sexual desires, or if we will rise together to demand change. The silence of those in power is deafening. The Punjab government and educational authorities need to come forward with clear, concrete actions to address these crimes. No person, no matter how influential, should be allowed to hide behind their privilege while the innocent continue to suffer.
This is not just about one girl, one family, or one college. This is about the collective soul of our society, about whether we will stand idly by as the rights of women and girls are systematically trampled. As a nation, we must ask ourselves: how long will we allow such atrocities to continue? And more importantly, what must we do to ensure that our daughters can pursue their dreams without fear of violence, humiliation, or death?
If we fail to act decisively now, we risk failing future generations of girls who aspire to learn and contribute to society. Their right to education and safety must be protected at all costs. The legacy of this young girl, whose life was unjustly taken, must be a catalyst for change. It is time for Punjab, and indeed all of Pakistan, to stand together against injustice and ensure that no more daughters are lost to such senseless violence.
Until justice is served, until reforms are made, and until our institutions are made safe for every child, the grief and rage of this tragedy will continue to burn in the hearts of every Pakistani.