Many do not realise the severity of delayed justice and the terrible toll it takes on the family of the bereaved, who have to live with endless misery as they don’t get a closure. Today marks the first death anniversary of a 5 year old child, Umar Rathore, who was brutally murderer after being abducted.
Darling of the family, Umar was allegedly kidnapped by four boys named Hamza, Yasir, Aftab and Asad. Umar was suffocated to death as he was locked in a cupboard for two days, in freezing temperature. The police registered the case on the complaint of Mukhtar Rathore, father of Umar Rathore, under section 363-A PPC and later on arrested Hamza and his aide Aftab on concrete evidences. Later on, Hamza confessed to his crimes.
But even after the confession, it's been a year today and the family still awaits justice. Pakistan's justice system is now notorious for its slow and inefficient handling of cases. Far from being a citizen's last resort to justice, it is often used as a tool in the hands of the powerful to evade justice.
While the incident has triggered many angry demonstrations on the streets, just like the most recent protest in front of Press Club, it has also sparked an outpouring of rage and grief online. Thousands of social media users have rallied around the hash tag #justiceforUmer and #UmarAwaitsJustice to call for action and to discuss the wider problem of murder of the children.
With the increase in the rate of murder, kidnapping and rape cases pertaining to young children, the authorities must work towards ensuring strict and timely punishment to the perpetrators of crime. Timely justice is the first step in creating a safe and secure world for our children.
Darling of the family, Umar was allegedly kidnapped by four boys named Hamza, Yasir, Aftab and Asad. Umar was suffocated to death as he was locked in a cupboard for two days, in freezing temperature. The police registered the case on the complaint of Mukhtar Rathore, father of Umar Rathore, under section 363-A PPC and later on arrested Hamza and his aide Aftab on concrete evidences. Later on, Hamza confessed to his crimes.
But even after the confession, it's been a year today and the family still awaits justice. Pakistan's justice system is now notorious for its slow and inefficient handling of cases. Far from being a citizen's last resort to justice, it is often used as a tool in the hands of the powerful to evade justice.
While the incident has triggered many angry demonstrations on the streets, just like the most recent protest in front of Press Club, it has also sparked an outpouring of rage and grief online. Thousands of social media users have rallied around the hash tag #justiceforUmer and #UmarAwaitsJustice to call for action and to discuss the wider problem of murder of the children.
With the increase in the rate of murder, kidnapping and rape cases pertaining to young children, the authorities must work towards ensuring strict and timely punishment to the perpetrators of crime. Timely justice is the first step in creating a safe and secure world for our children.