A minor’s alleged gang rape in police lockup in Pakistan’s Jacobabad has ignited national fury, exposing glaring gaps in custodial safeguards. Six arrests notwithstanding, The Express Tribune’s probe insists real justice requires probing higher echelons, not scapegoating foot soldiers.
The setup alone was criminal: women isolated with male officers, flouting all norms. ‘Legal duty failure precedes the assault,’ the report asserts, flipping custody’s protective intent on its head. Detaining females to squeeze male kin in unrelated cases? That’s coercion masquerading as investigation—unthinkable in modern law.
Why do these horrors endure? Infrequent crackdowns foster a culture of fear. Complainants dread police retaliation absent impartial redressal and secure testimonies. Paper laws mean nothing without enforcement.
Exposed flaws include scant female staffing and non-functional women’s desks, betraying reform promises. The report probes deeper: Authorization? Monitoring lapses? Intervention failures? Accountability ceilings?
Amplifying concerns, Sahil’s 2025 report logs a 25% spike in women’s crimes—6,543 versus 5,253 in 2024—drawn from 81 papers across regions. Stats: 1,414 killings, 1,144 snatchings, 1,060 beatings, 649 self-kills, 585 violations.
To heal this wound, Pakistan needs radical steps: all-female custody for women, CCTV mandates, fast-track inquiries, and cultural shifts. The system’s credibility hangs in the balance—failure to act invites more darkness.