Women are an integral part of every society that deserves to be treated with respect. However, the recent events in different regions of Pakistan have shown the true face of our society. The Motorway incident was an eye-opener for the residents of this country when a mother of two was raped in front of her children, followed by a rape case of a two-year-old in Charsadda and multiple other incidents in Kasur. The number of reported rape cases are constantly increasing on a daily basis. Women of all ages, and even young boys, are under a constant threat from these male predators, but there has been no significant step taken to stop such incidents.
Recently, a heroic rickshaw driver, Faqir Hussain, lost both of his eyes while saving two women in Peshawar. He was carrying two female passengers in his rickshaw when he saw some men chasing and teasing them. Faqir Hussain immediately tried to stop them. Upon resistance, those men threw acid on his face and ran away. The incident took both of his eyes, but he was still seen smiling in the hospital. Faqir Hussain himself is a proud father of a young daughter, and his act of bravery is a ray of hope in these dark times. Faqir Hussain Lala was treated in a local hospital, while many social media users donated for his surgery and other expenses. Being the only parent alive, a lot of responsibilities befall on his shoulders. As a society, now it is our sole responsibility to support him in his tough times.
Sexual assaults have constantly been increasing in Pakistan. After every major incident, there is hue and cry for a few days, igniting a few protests, but still, there has been no meaningful advancement from the officials. These predators exist in our society, and they do not leave any chance to hurt and abuse women. We need more considerate people like Faqir Hussain Lala to fight against these criminals.
Recently, women have been vocal about their demands for equal rights and social protection. The Government is responsible for safeguarding the rights of its citizen, and it has failed to do so. There is a need for effective policies and initiatives at high levels to hunt down these criminals to provide a safe environment for women to live their lives in freedom. There is also a responsibility on the citizens to look out for each other and follow the example set by Faqir Hussain Lala.
