In July 2021, I wrote in these pages, “Noor, a name that literally means light. Noor, a young woman full of light. Noor, a kind soul who was taken away by a murder so gruesome that it has shaken Pakistan... Noor, a woman who was tortured before her brutal murder.” (“Do not extinguish the light”, July 29, 2021)
A 27-year-old woman, Noor Mukadam, was beheaded in Islamabad during the Eid holidays in July 2021 by Zahir Zakir Jaffer. Noor’s horrific murder shook the entire country to the core and made women question their safety, especially how unsafe they were in their own homes, on the roads, in their friends’ homes, at workplaces or just about anywhere.
When I wrote those lines back in 2021, I was trembling with rage, trepidation, and uncertainty about the safety of women, with a lot going through my mind. I could not fathom what had happened and why or how it had taken place. I could not understand why no one stopped it. Why Jaffer’s parents and staff allegedly tried to cover it up. Why a young girl was murdered in this manner. It was shocking. It is not like such types of murders had not taken place before but maybe this hit too close to home as well. We knew so many people who knew both Noor and her murderer.
When Jaffer was arrested and given the death penalty, there were some who were sceptical about our justice system and thought he would finally wriggle his way out of it. However, the Pakistan Supreme Court, on Tuesday, upheld the previous judgment and dismissed the appeal against his conviction under Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code, maintaining both his death sentence and fine. Many heaved a sigh of relief at the dismissal of his appeal as it is unthinkable for a man like Jaffer to be set free.
When we think of women and girls, we think of the countless crimes committed against them — from murder to domestic violence, child marriage to sexual assault and rape to other forms of violence. Last week, the National Assembly passed a bill against child marriage. The bill, introduced by the senator, Sherry Rehman, is an extremely important one as it is a practice that is quite widespread. As an editorial in The News noted quite rightly: “If we are to truly eradicate child marriage, then we must go beyond legislation. Cultural transformation is essential. We must redefine what it means to raise a girl in Pakistan. The focus should shift from preparing girls for marriage to empowering them with education, skills and financial independence.” Legislation is the first step, implementation is the second step but the most important step will involve deliberation on how to bring meaningful change in society. Without this transformation, we cannot move forward or bring about true change.
We fail our women and children in many ways. A report titled Cruel Numbers 2024 by Sahil, a non-profit organisation that works on child protection, says that 3,364 cases of child abuse were reported in newspapers in 2024. These 3,364 cases include reports of child sexual abuse, abduction, missing children, and child marriages. The data show that nine children have been abused per day in the year 2024. Gender divide analysis shows that out of the total reported cases of child abuse, 1,791 (53%) of victims were girls and 1,573 (47%) were boys. The reported age shows that children most vulnerable to abuse were in the age group of 11-15 years, in which more boy than girl victims were reported. Moreover, children as young as 0-5 years are also sexually abused.
These numbers are heartbreaking. We need justice for these children. We need an end to violence against women and children. This is essential. And it is not just about Pakistan; this problem plagues the entire region, including Afghanistan and India. We have all failed our women and children.
Mehmal Sarfraz is a journalist based in Lahore; mehmal.s@gmail.com