IF Nelson Mandela’s famous quote linking a society’s true character to how it treats its children is used as a yardstick, Pakistan would rank abysmally. The dark reality is that every day, countless youngsters in this country are exposed to abuse, violence and even death. The recent report of a madressah student’s torture, rape and apparent murder in Raiwind illustrates the depths of our depravity. As reported, the eight-year-old was assaulted by a teacher at a madressah as he slept. When the boy resisted, he was tortured by the suspect and later thrown from the roof of the seminary. The young victim succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday. Unfortunately, in this country, even this monstrous crime is unlikely to change things much and make Pakistan safer for its children. Has anything changed after the brutal rape and murder of little Zainab Ansari in 2018? The answer, as demonstrated by the aforementioned tragedy in Raiwind, is self-evident.

According to NGO Sahil’s Cruel Numbers 2022 report, 4,253 cases of child abuse was reported last year; half of these were incidents of child sexual abuse. It should be noted that these figures are based on media reports, and the actual numbers may be far higher. Madressahs have, sadly, been known for such incidents, as cases are usually hushed up, and culprits are rarely punished. This state of denial must end for the safety of the millions of mainly poor and disadvantaged children who study in these institutions. The higher clergy, particularly, needs to speak out against these crimes clearly, and not close ranks to protect their own kind who are accused of these grotesque acts. The state also needs to show that deep down somewhere it has a heart and is not immune to the suffering of these innocent children. This can be done by bringing the perpetrators to book, and offering all possible support to survivors and victims’ families.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2023