KARACHI: Speakers at a programme on Tuesday called for fixing a timeframe for courts to decide rape cases as had been done in the matters related to family disputes, pointing out that rape victims found it extremely difficult to pursue their cases when the litigation process dragged for years.
Rights workers, an adviser to the chief minister, a senior lawyer, some rape victims and their parents spoke at the programme, which was organised by a non-governmental organisation, War Against Rape, to celebrate court decisions convicting accused in three cases of rape and attempt to rape last year.
In addition, the speakers demanded establishment of support centres for rape victims to provide them timely and proper care, legal guidance and shelter.
Nasima Labano, a gang-rape victim, did not appear satisfied with the judgment passed in her case when she said that only one accused was convicted for life while six others were acquitted and another three were still absconding. She said that she would file an appeal seeking punishment to those she had nominated as accused.
With a fine of Rs50,000 each, convicts in the other two cases of rape and attempt to rape have been awarded 10-year rigorous imprisonment.
Sharmila Farooqui, the Adviser to the Sindh Chief Minister, appreciated the courage of rape victims and their families who, she said, braved a hostile social attitude towards them and other pressures to stand up and seek justice. They finally got justice through courts.
The adviser pointed out that one of the three victims, a five-year-old girl, had to pass through the horrible experience of medical examination five times and asked for gender sensitizing of the judiciary, police and other departments.
Highlighting the need for expediting the judicial process, she acknowledged the fact that an overwhelming majority of the rape cases were not reported at all, because the victims and their families were not sure if they would get justice after going through lengthy investigation and judicial process.
Zia Awan of the Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid attributed the delay caused in trials to the shortage of judges, saying that a large number of posts of judges were vacant. He demanded immediate appointment of judges for quick dispensation of justice.
Khalida Qadri of War Against Rape supported Ms Farooqui’s demand for gender sensitizing of the police department, saying that there was a need to change the culture of police stations and attitude of the law-enforcers towards women so that woman victims could go there without any fear and expect that they would be heard sympathetically. She said that the three victims and many others approached the civil society organisations because the environment of police stations was not women-friendly.
The government would have to develop sympathetic and easily accessible system for the victims’ support, she said, adding that NGOs could not handle such a huge number of cases alone.
Supporting the demand for a timeframe to decide rape cases in courts, she said that victims backed away from their cases due to social pressures couple with slow investigation and legal processes. She said the victims failed to pursue the cases when the processes were dragged for years and the culprits eventually got acquitted.
Mahmood-ul-Hassan and Faisal Siddiqui also spoke.
Source: Dawn
Date:2/10/2010
