Unrest has swept across Pakistani cities as students take to the streets‚ protesting an alleged rape at a Lahore college. The demonstrations which started about a week ago have turned violent leading to clashes with law enforcement.
In Rawalpindi hundreds of students gathered outside a campus blocking a major road and damaging college property. Police officer Mohammad Afzal reported that tear gas was used and batons were swung to disperse the crowd. The authorities statement indicated that 150 protesters were arrested for disturbing the peace.
Tragically‚ in Gujrat a security guard lost his life during confrontations between students and police yesterday. Additionally‚ law enforcement apprehended an individual accused of spreading misinformation about the alleged rape on social media and inciting violence.
The protests began after reports of an on-campus rape at the Punjab Group of Colleges in Lahore went viral. However‚ the college administration‚ provincial chief minister‚ and even the young womans parents have denied the occurrence of any assault.
Sexual violence remains a significant issue in Pakistan. Hasna Cheema from the Aurat Foundation pointed out that “neither Pakistani police nor the media are trained to handle such sensitive matters: they turn things from bad to worse instead of solving them“
The Sustainable Social Development Organization reported:
- 7010 rape cases in Pakistan last year
- Almost 95% of these cases occurred in Punjab
- The actual number might be higher due to underreporting
Just last month‚ a woman reported being gang-raped during a polio vaccination drive in Sindh province. Three men were arrested‚ but the victims husband subsequently threw her out claiming she had tarnished the family name
Despite the prevalence of sexual violence protests addressing this issue are uncommon in Pakistan. The current unrest highlights the growing frustration among students and the need for better handling of such sensitive matters