Will a rape victim in Pakistan ever get justice?

On the evening of April 21, renowned Baloch journalist Kiyya Baloch tweeted extremely important and sensitive news about a 10-year-old boy who was allegedly raped by Frontier Corps.

By Hakeem Baloch On the evening of April 21, renowned Baloch journalist Kiyya Baloch tweeted extremely important and sensitive news about a 10-year-old boy who was allegedly raped by Frontier Corps.

In his tweet, he also confirmed that the child was assaulted and injured in the incident. The incident occurred in Hoshap, the Kech district of Balochistan. Quoting the locals he said, "The child was brought to Turbat hospital in unconscious conditions." Right after the incident locals blocked the M8 motorway in Hoshap to protest against this inhuman action of Pakistani paramilitary forces. Within a couple of hours the tragic news was all over the Internet. Baloch social media activists, Baloch human rights groups, political groups, and activists condemned the action of FC personnel and demanded immediate justice for the minor victim.

The incident was as always ignored by Pakistani mainstream media and politicians. They have not even bothered to run a slide about the incident in electronic media or give the incident a place in black and white pages of print media. Since the day of the crime, the Baloch are protesting against this incident and are using all possible means of protests against this cruelty of the FC.

Baloch National Movement, the largest pro-Independence Party, in their statement said, "The whole nation is tormented by the sexual violence against the young. The incident with the young boy is a blow to our collective spirit and honor." The central spokesperson of the party has strongly condemned the incident and said, "The silence of international organizations, media blackout and the attitude of journalists and human rights organizations towards Balochistan have exacerbated this horrific situation." Central Spokesperson of Baloch Republican Party in his statement condemned the sexual violence against the minor and said, "Even in the holy month of Ramadan, such cruelty by the Pakistani army continues, from which humanity be ashamed." The spokesperson further said, "Pakistan considered itself an Islamic republic and the sexual violence against children during Ramadan and defending the culprits by its institutions confirmed that such incidents were being carried out under a systematic plan."

He also said that such an incident reminds us of the sexual violence against Bangladeshi people when Pakistani forces raped hundreds of thousands of women and children. Baloch Yakjehti committee, an organization that fights for the rights of Balochs condemned the sexual violence against the minor and they have carried out protests in different parts of Balochistan including Quetta and Kech. The BYC demanded a thorough investigation and also asked whether justice will be delivered or the culprits will get away without being punished for the crimes they committed.

The Baloch students' organizations have also condemned the incident and called it a shameless action by the FC personnel and demanded justice for the young boy. They have also protested outside Quetta press club Balochistan. Human rights commission of Balochistan (HRCB) a human rights group working in Balochistan, took to twitter demanding arrest of the culprits and said, "FC personnel raped a 10-year-old boy in Hoshab, Kech. He is admitted to a hospital in Turbat in critical condition after he was found unconscious. It is extremely shameful and beyond savageness. We demand immediate arrest of personnel involved in this heinous crime."

After a strong reaction and resistance from the Baloch masses Pakistani forces have played their same tactics which they are always playing against the people of Balochistan. They have arrested an FC sepoy, but at the very same time, they have changed the hospital report. The family of the victim has dismissed the report and said that the victim was traumatised by the incident and there is enough evidence to tell that he was sexually abused. Dr Naseem Baloch organiser of Baloch National Movement in diaspora tweeted about the medical report said: "The semen found on clothes is enough to prove a rape case. The semen on clothes dries soon and can be detected even after a year. All are pressurised by the state. The medical report says that no stains of semen found. The pressure is obvious." Pakistani military and paramilitary forces and their local death squads have been involved in the worst forms of crimes against humanity in Balochistan. For many years it was impossible for the people of Balochistan to reach out to the world and tell them their story, but now the Baloch people are reaching out to the people of the world and telling them about their miseries.

Because of the pressure from the Baloch youth the state has arrested one FC sepoy and tried to show that this was an individual act of sexual violence but the institution is not involved. Similar tactics were used after Hayat Baloch's brutal murder. The FC officers have visited the family and called the action as an action of individual FC personnel. Till this day no one knows what has happened to the murderer of Hayat Baloch. According to reports after this incident as well a senior FC official has slapped the personnel involved and said justice will be delivered. To blame an individual for such heinous actions because he was caught red-handed is an old tactic of the state. There are many unheard similar cases where the Baloch men, women, and kids have been sexually violated and those cases have remained unknown because many fear for their honour and lives and are scared of even worse consequences.

From their past experiences, the Baloch nation does not believe in the Pakistani justice system. They are looking towards the civilised world, to help them to get justice and they must help the Baloch to ensure their safety. The Baloch nation also hopes the world will help them to get rid of the Pakistani oppression and slavery. This is the high time that the world must take Balochistan's issue seriously and stop ignoring the systematic genocide of Balochistan. If they continue to ignore the brutalities being committed by Pakistani forces then that day is not far when the brutalities of the Pakistani state will not only bring bigger destruction for Balochistan. It will also bring a disastrous impact on the world as well.

(This article is written by Hakeem Baloch, President of Baloch National Movement UK Zone and a freelance journalist). (ANI)

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)