ZAINAB’s tragedy hit us so hard we feel the scars are never going to heal. But going by the previous similar tragedies, I am sure most of us will also forget this horrible incident, sooner than later, except of course the suffering parents.

No one can bring her back but her tragic death should force us to bring changes in all the systems of governance so that this kind of barbaric act is never repeated.

The feeling deep down in one’s mind is that if the allegations against our law enforcement agencies have any truth, the real culprits may go scot-free and the crime may be blamed on some poor, defenceless person who has no chance in hell to claim his innocence.

This has happened in the criminal cases previously and could happen again. The department concerned for the purpose of showing their false efficiency or prompted by superiors to take revenge from their adversaries had involved innocent persons, unless someone in authority monitored the whole case. Let us all pray that real culprits are apprehended and brought to justice at the earliest.

Name withheld on request

Lahore

Published in Dawn, January 20th, 2018