Another day, another horrific incident of sexual assault followed by another wave of “outrage” on social media. This time the horrendous incident took place in the capital territory of Islamabad, right under the nose of law enforcement agencies.
As usual, the police got to move only when the disturbing video of the incident, which took place a few months ago, sparked outrage across Pakistani Twitter, with #ArrestUsmanMirza appearing on the top trends.
The Incident
The gut-wrenching video shows five to six men keeping a young couple in custody under gunpoint. The culprits can be seen stripping the man and the woman naked while continuously threatening and abusing them. A report also claims that the suspects also performed ‘vulgar acts’ with the couple.
The police have arrested the culprit and also found the obscene video of the girl from his mobile phone which he kept for further “blackmailing” in future. The physical remand of the suspect is also granted by the concerned court.
According to the victimized boy’s initial statement, the incident took place a few months ago and he hasn’t heard from the girl ever since. Although the culprit was arrested, the boy remained hesitant to give a statement or become a complainant in the case until now, fearing “the suspects would kill him and his family.”
Tardiness of State Institutions
It raises important questions about survivors’ consent when campaigning for justice whereas it is also a fact that justice can not be attained in this country without a social media campaign.
The videos of the incident are still circulating on Twitter while the FIA continues to sleep its trademark sleep. Even if the victims refuse to come forward or give a statement, it is the responsibility of the state to take action and ensure justice nonetheless.
Now that law enforcement has sprung into action, there is no point in keeping the videos in circulation. To save the already traumatized couple from further suffering, the videos of the horrific incident should be removed from social media immediately.
Social Platforms’ Dual Standards
Amid this nightmare of an incident, the hypocrisy of social networking applications is at its peak. Let a single leaf rattle in Palestine or a kitten meow in Kashmir, Twitter will remove the video before you can post it. YouTube will block you instantly if they figure your video violates their “community standards.”
But this incident’s video, fraught with obscene language, sexual assault and human rights violations is still being shared across all social platforms.
Pakistanis are rushing to upload more and more unclad parts of the video to promote theirs out of business youtube channels. The cost of being viral in such cases can be in form of either homicide or suicide. But for these marmosets of social media, victim identity protection is irrelevant in the race of likes and views.
It puts a big question mark on the role of social media in this case. It is true that it helped identify the culprits and lead to their arrest. But it is a tool so volatile that it can ruin generations of victims if not handled with care.
The feeling of having power and control over others is intoxicating to a dangerously criminal extent. Anyone in this country who can get his hands on a gun, hanging gold chains around his neck, blasting Punjabi songs in the background is privileged to think of himself as the Noorinath of the 70s.
Mockery of the Law
The goon Usman Mirza is one such history-sheeter who used to openly show off his modern weapons, including a gun inscribed with his name, on social platforms. The audacious assaulter can be heard saying that he will be in jail for 15-20 days but will be released very soon, in another clip that was uploaded in May. Shamelessly bragging about his bail in another video, the blackmailer keeps using the words like Masha’Allah with a rosary in his hands.
According to the FIR, available with TheBlindSide, the case registered against Usman Mirza is under Section 354-A (assaulting and stripping a woman of her clothes), Section 506 (criminal intimidation), Section 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint) and Section 509 (sexual harassment) of the Pakistan Penal Code. The culprit can face the death penalty or life imprisonment, two years sentences or fine or both, one month in prison or fine of Rs1500 or both, and imprisonment for 3 years or fine up to Rs500,000 or both under each section respectively.
Unfortunately, no charges of terrorism are lodged against Mirza although in the video he can be clearly seen “terrorizing” his victims on gunpoints.
No Human Rights?
Our human rights minister Shireen Mazari, who actually used to advocate human rights until she got a ministry for that, has not bothered to say even a single word for sake of the victims.
According to some sources, Prime Minister Imran Khan has taken the notice of the case and asked the authorities that “this case must be made an example.” Apparently, the PM also contacted the Inspector General Islamabad Police to get the entire details of the incident and directed them to provide swift justice to the victims and strict action against the culprits.
The culprit has been arrested, along with 3 of his accomplices in the heinous act. But the post-arrest photos of Mirza, sitting comfortably and confidently on a sofa without a speck of shame on his face, do not paint a very hopeful picture.
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