No more Zainab or Nirbhaya: Islamic punishment will help in preventing sexual abuse

6-year-old, Zainab was walking to a Quran class at her aunt’s house when she was lured and kidnapped by a human beast. Five days later, her battered corpse was discovered in a garbage dump nearby. Zainab’s gruesome rape and slaying set off three days of violent rioting in Kasur.

Zainab’s incident is the 12th in one year in Kasur. Earlier 11 innocent girls were kidnapped, sexually assaulted and killed. Police say it is the same person who has done these crimes. This was proved by the DNA test of the victims. But the culprit is not captured yet. Hundreds of police personnel are on the manhunt to nab him. Hundreds of people are taken into custody and interrogated. DNA test of 450 people has been done.

According to data, 12000 cases of sexual abuse have been reported against children in last 4 years in Panjab province alone. But only 100 criminals were punished. During seven and a half years, 22528 children were sexually abused in Pakistan but only a few criminals were punished. If strict action had been taken against those criminals innocent Zainab would not have lost her life.

General Zia ul Haq had introduced public hanging of rape victim. Two criminals were publicly hanged in Faisalabad and Lahore. It deterred the criminals for several days from repeating such crimes.

The so-called cultured society rejects the punishment given by Islam against such crimes but the reality is if such strict punishments are not given to the criminals they won’t be discouraged. Ironically those who reject Islamic punishments by describing them as horrific, they also demand strict punishments against rapists. Islam has prescribed two punishments for the rapist. If he is unmarried he shall receive one hundred lashes and if he is married he should be stoned to death.

It is true that if the criminals are given such deterrent punishment no Nirbhaya or Zainab would fall into the trap of human beasts.