Whenever a harrowing incident of violence comes to light, we express our grief and outrage—but have we ever seriously considered that many forms of the very violence we lament have already become normalized in our everyday lives?
Whenever a harrowing incident of violence comes to light, we express our grief and outrage, label it an extreme act of cruelty, and ask: in what direction is our society heading?
For a few days, there is a flurry of discussion on social media and demands for justice are raised—but then, we simply return to our daily routines. Yet, have we ever seriously considered that many forms of the very violence we lament today have already become normalized in our everyday lives?
Three tragic incidents that have emerged from Punjab over the past few days compel us to confront this very question.
In Multan, fifteen-year-old Waseem—who resided in an orphanage and had been sent to an electrician to learn a trade—allegedly lost his life at the hands of the very person meant to be his mentor. According to media reports, the accused pursued him in a vehicle and ran him over. A child who deserved protection, guidance, and the opportunity for a better future was stripped of his life.
In Sheikhupura, twelve-year-old Zainab—at an age when she should have been attending school, playing, and dreaming about her future—was instead working as a domestic help in someone else’s home. According to media reports, she lost her life as a result of alleged violence. The question is not merely who took this innocent child’s life, but also: who stole her childhood? Why was she engaged in domestic labor at such a tender age, given that Section 3 of the Punjab Domestic Workers Act, 2019, explicitly prohibits the employment of children under the age of fifteen as domestic workers?
The third incident took place in the Mazang area of Lahore, where, according to media reports, a young woman traveling on a scooter was grabbed by her hair in public, thrown to the ground, and subjected to violence. Reports indicate that she suffered a broken nose and facial injuries.
While the circumstances of these three incidents differ, they share a common thread: in each case, the victims were subjected to violence in settings where they should have been afforded protection, respect, and safety. One victim was a child who had gone to learn a trade; another was a young girl working as a domestic help; and the third was a young woman traveling on a city street.
Violence does not become normalized merely because people begin to perpetrate it; it becomes normalized when society starts to seek justifications for it.
In our society, hitting children is often misconstrued as a form of discipline. Mistreatment of domestic workers is frequently dismissed as a “private domestic matter.” If a dispute arises on the street, the use of abusive language, threats, and aggressive behavior is often overlooked as if it were trivial. Furthermore, when a woman or girl is subjected to violence, some people—even before ascertaining the facts—immediately begin to scrutinize her conduct or speculate about what she might have done “wrong.”
💡 A principle to remember
A child’s disobedience, a mistake made by an employee, or a disagreement with someone on the street cannot justify violence. No one has the right to humiliate another human being, raise a hand against them, or put their life in danger.
The Attitudes That Tolerate Violence
The issue lies not only with those who perpetrate violence but also with the attitudes that tolerate, conceal, or attempt to legitimize it. When we remain silent upon seeing a child being beaten, ignore the mistreatment of a domestic worker, or dismiss the humiliation of a woman on the street as a “minor dispute,” we inadvertently contribute to sustaining an environment in which violence can thrive.
However, in this entire discussion, the responsibility of the state and relevant institutions cannot be overlooked. Pakistan has enacted laws for the protection of children and women and has established various institutions to this end. Pakistan is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, under which it is the state’s obligation to safeguard children from all forms of physical and mental violence, exploitation, and abuse.
The question is: are these legal and institutional frameworks actually benefiting the children and women who are most in need of protection?
Questions the Three Incidents Raise
The incident in Multan raises critical questions regarding the safety and supervision of children in alternative care. When a child is entrusted to an individual or an institution for the purpose of education, training, or learning a skill, are there effective mechanisms in place to ensure their safety, provide adequate supervision, and allow for the filing of complaints? Entrusting a child to someone else for the purpose of learning a skill does not absolve one of the responsibility for their protection.
The incident in Sheikhupura draws attention to the exploitation of children in domestic service and the weaknesses in the enforcement of existing laws. If domestic employment of children under the age of fifteen is prohibited, why have effective measures—aimed at identifying such children, ensuring their protection, and providing them access to education—failed to yield the desired results? While taking action following a violation of the law is important, the primary objective should be to protect children from exploitation and violence from the very outset.
The incident in Lahore also raises a critical question regarding the free and safe mobility of women. We encourage girls to pursue education, seek employment, and become independent; yet, does our society provide an environment where they can step out of their homes without fear? Whether a woman travels on foot, uses public transport, or rides a scooter, she is entitled to safety and respect. Normalizing the presence of women in public spaces requires not only better transport facilities but also a shift in societal attitudes.
Justice Beyond Arrests
In all three instances, the registration of cases by the police is a significant initial step that deserves acknowledgment. However, the pursuit of justice does not conclude with the filing of a case or the arrest of an accused. Thorough investigation, the preservation of evidence, robust prosecution, and the provision of necessary legal and institutional support to the victims and their families are equally vital.
While it is essential to hold those directly involved in acts of violence accountable, an impartial inquiry must also be conducted into any instances of negligence by relevant institutions or lapses in security arrangements. The demands of justice extend beyond merely punishing the perpetrators; they also require addressing the systemic flaws that leave children and women vulnerable to violence.
We must recognize that the prevention of violence is not the sole responsibility of the police, the courts, or any single government institution. Families, educational institutions, employers, local communities, the media, and individual citizens must all play their part. However, social responsibility does not in any way absolve the state of its own legal and institutional obligations.
The role of the citizens in Lahore who stepped forward to assist the victim is also highly commendable. This serves as a reminder that, rather than remaining a silent spectator, intervening in a safe and responsible manner can be a positive step against violence.
Are We Truly Opposed to Violence?
We must ask ourselves: are we truly opposed to violence, or do we only raise our voices when an incident exceeds our threshold of tolerance?
Children and women do not merely require sympathy and justice following a tragedy; they deserve the guarantee of protection, respect, and a dignified life before such a tragedy occurs.
If we genuinely wish to prevent violence from becoming the norm, we must bring about change at every level—from our homes to our streets, and from social attitudes to the functioning of our institutions. Ultimately, the true success of a society cannot be measured by the outrage it expresses after an act of violence, but rather by the actions it takes to prevent such violence from happening in the first place.
