A nation’s shame

The horrifying case of Adil, a poor barber from Dera Ismail Khan, who took his own life after his 11-year-old daughter was given as Vani by a village council (panchayat), should have led to outrage. That it did not points to the deep-seated gender violence and patriarchal oppression the country faces. Adil’s suffering was not just limited to the forced marriage of his child; he was also extorted for Rs700,000 and subjected to brutal torture before he was coerced into compliance. His tragic death is just the latest example of the impunity with which such heinous customs persist and the abject failure of the state to protect its most vulnerable citizens. Vani, or Swara, is a despicable practice in which girls -- often minors -- are forcibly married off as compensation to settle disputes. It is a grotesque perversion of justice, allowing influential feudal lords and community leaders to barter young girls as though they were mere commodities. Despite existing laws criminalising this practice, it continues unabated, upheld by a culture of male dominance and a weak legal system that fails to enforce protections for women and children.

The timing of this tragedy is particularly striking. With the world celebrating International Women’s Day in March, Pakistan is still languishing at the bottom of the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report -- ranking 145th out of 146 countries. This abysmal ranking is not surprising when one considers the pervasive violence and discrimination women face in Pakistan. From the practice of Vani and Swara to the horrors of karo kari (honour killings), acid attacks, forced conversions and rampant domestic violence, the country remains a living nightmare for countless women and girls. The justice system offers little solace. Courts frequently fail to convict perpetrators of gender-based violence, police officers refuse to register cases of domestic abuse, and influential criminals walk free while their victims suffer in silence. Women in many areas are still barred from education, political participation, and economic independence. Those who dare to challenge the status quo often become targets of smear campaigns, threats, and violence. This impunity only emboldens offenders and ensures that such atrocities continue unchecked.

If Pakistan is to be taken seriously on the global stage, it must confront the reality that it has systematically failed its women. The ruling elite, complicit in its inaction, must acknowledge that its failure to implement laws against Vani, karo kari and other crimes is a betrayal of half its population. Legislative reforms, no matter how well-crafted, are meaningless without strict enforcement. The police, judiciary and government must be held accountable for ensuring that those who violate women’s rights face swift and severe punishment. Pakistan cannot afford to let barbaric customs dictate the lives of its people. The state must act decisively to protect women and girls, ensuring that no father is ever again driven to such despair that he chooses death over the helplessness of watching his child being sacrificed to archaic and inhumane customs.