Pakistan’s ‘rape epidemic': Protests & fury after woman gangraped in Islamabad's F-9 park

Protesters, women's rights activists, and dozens flooded the streets across Pakistan demonstrating against “increasing sexual barbarism” against women within the South Asian nation. Demanding accountability for women's safety from Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif's government, protesting crowds and rights activists derided the "rape epidemic" and the misogynistic attitude of law enforcement and its sluggish response in bringing the perpetrators of rape crime to justice. The countrywide fury and rebellion against the government started after a Pakistani woman was brutally gang-raped in Islamabad's Fatima Jinnah Park (F-9 Park) on the evening of Feb. 6 sending shockwaves across the globe. 

The 24-year-old Pakistani woman was walking with a male colleague when two armed men raped her in the Fatima Jinnah Park [or the Capital Park and F-9 Park] in Islamabad. The incident occurred at about 8 pm last Thursday in the country's largest park. As her male friend was chased away, the rape survivor was told by her assaulters that she should not have been in the park in the night, as they also threatened her to remain silent or they would call "more friends" to rape her. The gun-toting rapists foiled her escape. A police complaint at Margalla police station mentioned that the woman had marks of torture on her legs and face. "I was slapped. My hair was pulled and I was thrown on the floor,” the woman's statement to the police read. 

Pakistan premier Sharif's government banned the national television and press from reporting on the incident, citing that the alleged assault was being suppressed from coverage to keep the identity of the survivor discreet. In a controversial move, Pakistan’s Electronic Media Regulatory Authority banned rape coverage in a notice to broadcast stations, saying that reportage on the rape case is “prohibited with immediate effect.” Pakistan's police is also being accused of allgedly leaking the rape survivor's name, profession and contact number, and she is reported to have gone into hiding in an unknown location. 

@AmmarRashidT of AWP sang at yesterday's protest in solidarity with the survivors of the F9 park gang rape and the Vehari bus incident, as women hung their dupattas in an act of solidarity, warning and show of strength.https://t.co/87fKz3OkfY

— Women Democratic Front ناری جمھوری محاذ (@wdf_pk)

On 6/2, we called for a protest at the Bolan Gate of F9 Park. Concluding this, we urged women to hang their dupattas and personal notes and other pieces of clothing in support of the victims of the gang rape in F9 Park and Vehari bus incident. 1/9 pic.twitter.com/Iqbg02NMS0

— Women Democratic Front ناری جمھوری محاذ (@wdf_pk)

Protesters tied dupattas to railings of F9 park in solidarity with rape victims

Hundreds of Pakistani protesters gathered in the F9 park this week slamming law enforcement's response to the assault as they tied their dupattas to the railings in solidarity with the rape victims.  As anger and rage engulfed the Pakistani population over the issue of women's safety, police resorted to blocking traffic in front of the F-10 Gate of the park and advised motorists to divert to 9th Avenue instead. A heightened security was maintained near the protest site and fears erupted about possible clashes between the demonstrators and the Pakistani police. The latter ordered the traffic to avoid the area immediately in case the protests turned violent.  Pakistan, a country of 220 million, has been attracting backlash for its patriarchal setup that perpetuates crimes against females. 

In Pakistan, at least 11 cases of rape are reported everyday.
Only people with platform and loudest voices are heard. Eg people of Islamabad. F9 rape case has been talked about widely. There is going to be a protest too.
Other 10 cases that day, not so much.

— Abeeha (@BoriatN)

 Aurat Azadi March [Women’s Freedom March], a women's rights group, derided the rape incidences within South Asian countries in a statement. “There is an increasing sexual barbarism in Pakistan, and criminal silence on it by the state and society is unacceptable. We are enraged. We are in pain. And we will not let this be forgotten," the statement read. With more than 5,200 women reported raped last year, in 2021, Pakistan is being slammed as increasingly unsafe for women. Last year, hundreds of unidentified men in Pakistan were booked after a woman was sexually assaulted and indecently groped by a crowd of over 400 because she was shooting a Tik Tok video at a park in Lahore.