Tag: child sexual abuse

  • ‘Insensitive’: Waqar Zaka slams Nida Yasir’s claim he tried to sabotage her show

    ‘Insensitive’: Waqar Zaka slams Nida Yasir’s claim he tried to sabotage her show

    Television presenter and cryptocurrency expert Waqar Zaka fired back at actress and morning show host Nida Yasir over her claims that he tried to sabotage her show. In a video statement posted on his social media accounts, Waqar revealed he had complained about Nida’s conduct of hosting morning shows when she invited the parents of a deceased girl who was raped and then murdered. The show was subjected to intense controversy as Nida made the parents cry by asking them invasive and hurtful questions, which caused outrage.

    Waqar said that Nida claimed the parents had themselves requested to be invited on the show in order to gain media support to grant their daughter justice. However, he refuted these claims by sharing the video of an activist interviewing the parents, who revealed they were invited by Nida, rather than the other way round.

    Waqar debunked another claim made by Nida on her show, where she claimed the family had filed an FIR after their appearance. But as Waqar shared in the clip, the activist spoke with the victim’s parents who revealed they had filed it before making their appearance on the morning show.

    Waqar shared that these revelations had created an outrage on social media, which is when in 2020 he had encouraged his followers to file a report with PEMRA, and to message Salman Iqbal, the CEO of ARY, to remove Nida as a host.

    “It is insensitive how Nida exploited a case like this for the sake of getting ratings, and lied so much that she couldn’t even apologise after getting caught later,” said Waqar. “And also remember: a host is always aware of what goes on during the show. If the host approves something, then it appears on the show.”

    Waqar further added it’s time all the elderly hosts sitting on their morning shows should now consider letting go, and giving other young people a chance. He added Nida should host a contest to see who could replace her, and revealed he had complained to Salman Iqbal that other women should be given a platform because Nida was no ‘Oprah’ and nor did she hold any philosophy in her life.

    On Saturday, Nida made headlines when as a guest on Geo’s ‘Hasna Mana Hai’, she revealed Waqar Zaka had tried to sabotage her morning show as well as her career. She added the two were on good terms during the time he worked with the channel, but his demeanour changed when he left.

    “When Waqar left ARY, he started sending emails to the channel’s management, urging them to remove me from my morning show,” she confessed.

  • ‘Israel is the only country that keeps children as prisoners of war’: Gigi Hadid

    ‘Israel is the only country that keeps children as prisoners of war’: Gigi Hadid

    Palestinian-American supermodel Gigi Hadid has criticised Israeli for abusing and torturing Palestinian children as a tactic to destroy Gaza. During the four day ceasefire which began on Friday, several captives who were locked in Israeli prisons were released, including children.

    Gigi shared a picture of a Palestinian boy, who has developed mental health issues after remaining locked away in Israeli prisons. Taking to Instagram to share the picture of Ahmed Almansara, the model slammed Israel’s tactics of raping and torturing Palestinian children, a routine practice before the October 7 attacks.

    “Israel is the only country in the world that keeps CHILDREN AS PRISONERS OF WAR. ABDUCTION, RAPE, HUMILIATION, TORTURE, MURDER OF PALESTINIANS. YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS BEFORE OCTOBER 7 2023.”

    Gigi shared another news report revealing how Israelis were against the release of women and children by claiming that they were terrorists.

    “Israel sees any Palestinian as a ‘terrorist’. Any person supporting Palestinian rights as an ‘anti semite’ and any Jew that is opposed to the government’s actions as ‘self-hating’-even telling them to denounce their Judaism. So… everyone’s lying and wrong, except Israel?!

    If it wasn’t so evil and disturbing, it would be comedic.”

    Gigi shared another video by a Palestinian boy who prayed that the ceasefire is established for good and ends the war, writing that she prayed that every child deserves peaceful days.

  • Poverty-driven child marriages surge in flood-hit Balochistan

    Poverty-driven child marriages surge in flood-hit Balochistan

    Journalist and storyteller Shahar Baloch has recently reported for BBC about the aftermath of the devastating floods in Balochistan last year. The report reveals that families from lower income backgrounds, impacted by the aftereffects of the floods, are being compelled to sell their daughters due to mounting debts. The dire situation was uncovered in the Chowki Jamali area, one of the regions hit hardest by the 2022 floods.

    Chowki Jamali, a remote area on the border of Sindh and Balochistan, is home to approximately 50,000 people, primarily farmers and daily wage laborers. The 2023 floods displaced over 3.2 million families in 2022, with Sindh and Balochistan experiencing the worst of the brunt.

    As families struggled to recover, the economic downturn pushed many to sell their young daughters to older men, aged between 40 and 60 years, in exchange for money to pay off debts or cover medical expenses. Daily wage laborers, earning as little as 500 rupees a day, say that they are left with no other option.

    Residents of the area say that early marriages have been conducted here in the past as well.

    The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) conducted a survey of 14 districts of Balochistan in August 2022. According to the survey, there has been a 13 per cent increase in the number of cases of selling female children.

    Most girls are sold for amounts ranging from three to five lakh rupees, providing relief for financially strained families, who often rely on the transaction to settle debts, access medical treatment, or invest in their son’s education.

    The situation is exacerbated by the fact that in some cases, girls are sold multiple times if they do not “adjust” to their new circumstances. Some girls even run away upon learning of their impending sale, leaving their younger sisters to be married off in their place.

    The term “climate brides” is used to describe these girls, and this alarming practice is not unique to Balochistan; it also occurs in countries like Africa and India where poverty and climate change intersect.

    Climate change and floods have made agriculture increasingly unprofitable in Balochistan, driving families to desperate measures. With little income and food scarcity, many in Chowki Jamali resort to selling their daughters to survive.

    Even though education has made a difference, parents continue to sell their daughters due to extreme poverty.

    Health workers report severe health consequences for young girls married off early, including complications during pregnancy and the development of conditions like fistulas. Despite being aware of this issue, authorities have struggled to curb these marriages.

    Lady health worker Shehzadi told the BBC that in some cases, girls cry in pain, and some die here. “We still make noise, we can say something, but the mothers of these girls cannot say anything in this matter because it is the men of the house who decide to sell the girls.”

    Madad Community, an organization working on climate change in Balochistan, recently said that as a result of climate change and floods, it has become very difficult to earn from the agriculture sector.

    Organizer Maryam Jamali said that most people were forced to migrate, including the middle class of Balochistan. Poor farmers still have nowhere to go. As a result of extreme heat, more droughts and floods have been predicted.

    Fauzia Shaheen, Chairperson of the Government Commission for Women, revealed that Balochistan lacks effective laws to prevent child marriages, and efforts to pass the Child Marriage Restraint Bill have faced obstacles.

    In Balochistan, it is clear that the true cost of flood damage is being borne by the region’s vulnerable young girls, who are forced into early marriages due to dire economic circumstances.

  • TRIGGER WARNING: Lodhran court sentences man to 25 years in prison for raping daughter

    A court in the Lodhran has sentenced a man to 25 years in prison and subjected to Rs 1,00,000 fine for torturing and raping his 15 year old daughter, as reported by Express Tribune.

    The rape case was filed by the survivor’s paternal aunt, Yasan, who revealed that she was suspicious when the father, Irshad, brought the girl to her house unconscious.

    The complainant told the police that after the girl woke up, she confessed to her aunt that her father had drugged and tortured her. When she and other witnesses approached Irshad, he confessed to the crime.

    The aunt urged the police to take strict action against the rapist.

  • ‘Hum 2 Humaray 100’ dedicated an episode to teaching children about consent

    At a time when television is littered with misogyny and misrepresentation of women and their issues, it is heart warming to witness shows like ‘Hum 2 Hamaray 100’ take the lead in creating awareness about social issues.
    The show recently broadcast a poignant scene where they recognized the rights and responsilibities of children in Pakistan.
    A grown adult sits down with children in a room and teaches them about the good touch/ bad touch concept. She explains to the children that if any adult, aside from their parents touches them without their consent and makes them feel uncomfortable, then they must immediately tell their parents.
    The writer, Syed Zain Raza, shared the clip on his Instagram account, and in the caption he wrote that because of a rise in rape and sexual assualt cases in Pakistan, he felt it was necessary to teach children about body autonomy and learning to say ‘no’.

    “GOOD TOUCH / BAD TOUCH

    In this episode of Hum 2 Humaray 100 we tried to talk about an extremely important topic that is more prevalent than ever, but we rarely see conversations around it. Our children are unsafe in parks, schools, neighbourhoods, transit, and sometimes even their homes. This is why they need to know about good touch and bad touch. They need to know when they are in danger.

    If we don’t have these conversations with them in a positive way, then someone else will have them in a negative way. Children should be taught about bodily autonomy and what to do if they feel threatened, scared, and uncomfortable around an adult. They need to be told that they will not get in trouble for telling their parents and that it is never their fault.

    I was really glad that the channel allowed us to talk about this sensitive topic without any censoring and/or dictations. And most importantly, thank you to my director @angelinemalikofficial who allowed me to go ahead and write about all these topics with her full support! It is a boon to have a progressive and woke director in a time like this.”

    In the comments section, social media users applauded the show runners for addressing a sensitive topic in a gentle and uncensored manner, which would help more parents and children watching this show learn how to communicate with each other regarding matters of bodily autonomy.

    Activist and makeup artist Leena Ghani praised the writer for bringing such an important topic to mainstream channels and dealing with it in a sensitive way.

    “Such an important conversation about consent and done with so much sensitivity and care. Well done Zain. This is the kind of content and awareness we need,” she wrote.

    Another user recalled the impact this scene had on her mother, that she went on to give the same guidance about consent to her neices.
    “Mother was watching this scene on TV and it impacted her so much that right after that when nieces came she needed to explain this to them. Quite powerful ”

  • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Death penalty or life imprisonment for a child abuser, 14 years for child pornography

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Death penalty or life imprisonment for a child abuser, 14 years for child pornography

    The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly has passed “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Child Protection and Welfare (Amendment) Act, 2022”.  The bill was introduced by provincial Law Minister Fazle Shakoor.

    According to the bill, anyone involved in child abuse might face a death sentence or a life sentence, as well as a fine of not less than Rs 20 lakhs. Meanwhile, child pornographers, will be sentenced to a minimum of 14 years and a maximum of 20 years in prison, with a fine of Rs 20 lakhs.

    For child trafficking, punishment of at least 14 years behind the bars or life imprisonment have been suggested with a fine of upto Rs 50 lakhs.

    Read more- FIA arrests man for child pornography, blackmailing teenager

    The recently passed bill states that any case related to child abuse must will be completed within 30 days.

    Furthermore, traveling on public transportation and accessing public areas is prohibited for anyone whose name is entered or appears on the Register of Sexual Offenders.

    Read more- 10 children sexually abused in Pakistan every day from Jan to June: report

    More than ten children were victims of sexual abuse on average every day between January 2021 and June 2021, a report by the child protection organisation Sahil states.

  • Mufti Aziz-ur-Rehman indicted in the madrassa sexual abuse case

    Mufti Aziz-ur-Rehman indicted in the madrassa sexual abuse case

    Mufti Aziz-ur-Rehman, his sons, and accomplices have been indicted in the madrassa sexual abuse case by a Lahore court, Samaa has reported.

    The court had adjourned the hearing till October 5. The court ordered the prosecution department to produce its witnesses at the next hearing to record their testimonies.

    As per the challan, the cleric sexually abused his student by promising him help in passing his exam.

    Read more- Police find Mufti Aziz-ur-Rehman guilty in madrassa sexual abuse case

    Previously, Mufti Aziz confessed that the video was not fake and confirmed that he was secretly filmed by his student.

    Related Stories- Usman Mirza threatened to gang-rape victim if she did not have sex with her friend

    The victim in his statement said that Mufti Aziz accused him of cheating in his exams after which he was banned from taking the exams for three years. Mufti Aziz then asked the student to “make him happy” in order to get the ban lifted.

  • Jemima schools PM Khan on rape, again

    Prime Minister Imran Khan’s former wife, Jemima Goldsmith has schooled him on the topic of rape again by re-sharing an old tweet.

    In an interview with “Axios on HBO” with Jonathan Swan, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that “if a woman is wearing very few clothes, it will have an impact on the men, unless they are robots”.

    Jemima quoted her old tweet with the caption, “And again. Sigh.”

    The tweet she quoted read, “I remember years ago being in Saudi Arabia and an elderly woman in an abaya and niqab was lamenting the fact that when she went out she was followed and harassed by young men,” said Jemima.

    “The only way to get rid of them was to take her face covering OFF,” said Jemima further, asserting: “The problem is not how women dress.”

    Earlier, this year in April Prime Minister Imran Khan’s comments on rape and violence against women sparked a debate upon the reasons behind such actions and how society can tackle crime against women and children, including rape.

  • Lahore police arrest Mufti Aziz-ur-Rehman

    Lahore police has arrested Mufti Aziz-ur-Rehman from Mianwali on charges of molesting  one of his students.

    An FIR was registered against him on the victim’s complaint on June 16. The victim in his statement said that Mufi Aziz-ur-Rehman accused him of cheating on his exams after which he was banned from giving exams at the Wafaqul Madaris for three years. Mufti then asked the student to “make him happy” in order to get the ban lifted.

    “We have been able to arrest this criminal. We will take it as a test case, interrogate him, conduct scientific professional investigation, prosecute and get him convicted by the court. We want our kids protected from these child molesters and keep our society safe for our future,” Inspector General of Police (IG) Punjab Inam Ghani said in a tweet.

  • NA adopts resolution for public hanging of child rapists amid PPP’s opposition

    NA adopts resolution for public hanging of child rapists amid PPP’s opposition

    The Lower House on Friday adopted a resolution seeking public hanging of child rapists with a majority vote despite opposition from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), ARY reported.

    According to reports, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan, who had tabled the resolution in the National Assembly, said that Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan wanted death sentence for child abuse convicts.

    “When we raised the issue of a public hanging in the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights headed by [PPP chief] Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, it was opposed,” the minister said and added that the government desired a new law aimed at hanging of convicts.

    While another PTI MNA, Imran Khattak, also supported the demand to adopt a resolution calling for public hanging of child sexual abusers, PPP leader and former PM Raja Pervaiz Ashraf opposed the same, saying that the country had signed a United Nations (UN) charter against public hangings.

    “If this [resolution] is adopted, the world would not accept it,” he reportedly said.

    It is pertinent to note that the PPP, according to its chief, is against capital punishment “on principle”. Bilawal’s maternal grandfather and PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was also sentenced to death on April 4, 1979.