✍️By Dr Humaira Tariq
Secretary General, Women’s Wing, Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan
🍀Pakistan is not merely a geographical entity; it is the embodiment of a great vision, a noble purpose, and the aspiration for an Islamic welfare state. The Muslims of the Subcontinent struggled for and achieved this homeland with the hope that it would become a society founded on justice, human dignity, equality, and the protection of the rights of vulnerable groups. Islam regards the protection of women, children, orphans, and all vulnerable individuals not only as a moral obligation but also as a responsibility of the state. The model of the State of Madinah was built on the principle that even the weakest member of society should feel secure, respected, and assured of justice.
Pakistan’s founder, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, also envisioned a country governed by the rule of law, where citizens’ lives, property, honour, and dignity would be safeguarded and where every individual would enjoy equal opportunities for progress. The Constitution of Pakistan reflects this vision and obliges the state to protect the rights of women, children, and other vulnerable segments of society.
Yet, as incidents of violence against women, the exploitation of children, abuse of domestic workers, acid attacks, harassment, and sexual crimes continue to emerge, a fundamental question arises: have we truly succeeded in creating the safe and welfare-oriented society for which Pakistan was established?
Pakistan has enacted numerous laws aimed at protecting women and children. The Constitution guarantees human dignity, security of life and property, and equality between men and women. Special legislation has been introduced to protect women from harassment, domestic violence, acid attacks, forced marriages, and deprivation of inheritance rights. Similarly, various legal and administrative measures have been adopted to shield children from forced labour, abduction, exploitation, and sexual abuse. However, if these laws already exist, why do such crimes continue unabated?
The recent tragic case involving a minor domestic worker in Lahore shocked the entire nation. According to media reports, the child had allegedly complained of sexual abuse and made serious allegations in a statement before her death. The inclusion of murder charges in the case further underscores its gravity. Likewise, the recent acid attack on a female doctor serves as a painful reminder that women in Pakistan continue to face various forms of violence and criminal abuse.
These incidents are not merely isolated crimes; they reflect a growing moral crisis and collective indifference within society. Domestic workers, particularly young girls, often work in environments where there is little or no effective mechanism for safeguarding their rights, monitoring their welfare, or addressing their grievances. At the same time, crimes such as harassment, domestic violence, and acid attacks reveal that despite legislative progress, the implementation of the law remains weak.
The Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act 2010, the Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Act 2016, laws relating to acid crimes, the Zainab Alert Act 2020, the Juvenile Justice System Act 2018, and other child protection laws are undoubtedly important. However, unless these laws are implemented fully, impartially, and without discrimination, their benefits will not reach ordinary citizens. Justice can only be considered effective when the law applies equally to both the powerful and the powerless.
In this context, the responsibility does not rest solely with state institutions. Religious, social, and welfare organisations also have a vital role to play. Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan, particularly its Women’s Wing, has consistently raised its voice for the protection of women, children, and other vulnerable groups. The organisation has actively worked on issues such as violence against women, domestic exploitation, education, healthcare, strengthening family structures, and legal awareness. It has not only highlighted these challenges but has also played an active role in advocacy, public awareness campaigns, and supporting affected families.
Various departments and institutions operating under the Women’s Wing of Jamaat-e-Islami provide services aimed at the welfare and protection of women, children, and families. Through legal awareness initiatives, social support programmes, training activities, and family counselling services, these platforms seek to empower women with knowledge of their rights and help them attain a dignified and secure place in society.
The need of the hour is to ensure that incidents such as the Lahore domestic worker case and acid attacks do not fade away as mere news headlines. Transparent and impartial investigations must be conducted, perpetrators must be punished in accordance with the law, and affected families should receive comprehensive legal, psychological, and financial support. At the same time, there is an urgent need for comprehensive legislation and an effective monitoring system to protect domestic workers, particularly underage girls.
The true hallmark of a civilised, Islamic, and welfare-oriented state is its ability to provide complete protection and swift justice to its most vulnerable citizens. The rising number of crimes against women and children should serve as a wake-up call for all of us. The government, judiciary, law enforcement agencies, educational institutions, media, and civil society organisations must adopt a coordinated strategy that goes beyond legislation and ensures its effective enforcement.
Until perpetrators are certain that the law will reach them, and victims are confident that justice will be delivered, the dream of a safe, dignified, and genuinely welfare-oriented society will remain unfulfilled.
