Social media users including civil society activists, journalists, celebrities and political figures took to social media on Monday to express shock and disappointment over the Lahore High Court verdict in which a man earlier convicted of attacking law student Khadija Siddiqui with a knife was acquitted.
Justice Sardar Ahmed Naeem of the LHC acquitted Shah Hussain of all charges after accepting his appeal against the five-year sentence handed to him by a sessions court.
As netizens posted in support of Khadija and expressed outrage over the court verdict, #JusticeForKhadija became the top trend on Twitter in Pakistan.
"Today Khadija is the victim, tomorrow it can be anyone, my daughter, your daughter, anyone’s daughter! We must speak against this grave injustice," tweeted journalist Faizan Lakhani.
Today Khadija is the victim, tomorrow it can be anyone, my daughter, your daughter, anyone’s daughter! We must speak against this grave injustice. #WeAreWithKhadija #JusticeForKhadija
— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) June 4, 2018
Lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir wondered if any other woman seeking justice would trust the country's judicial system in the future following the judgement.
This case was well reported in media. All evidence was in public view. Still Shah Hussain walked free. Will any other woman in place of Khadija trust our judicial system? What more does this system needs to deliver justice? These are questions CJP Saqib Nisar needs to answer https://t.co/Mciy3AmVRh
— M. Jibran Nasir (@MJibranNasir) June 4, 2018
"A seven-year sentence for attempted murder - reduced to five years - reduced to nothing. This is how we value a woman seeking justice with proof," wrote actor Osman Khalid Butt.
A seven-year sentence for attempted murder - reduced to five years - reduced to nothing. This is how we value a woman seeking justice with proof (multiple eye-witnesses, DNA match) - the message is loud and clear. She is reduced to nothing. #JusticeForKhadija
— Osman Khalid Butt (@aClockworkObi) June 4, 2018
Lawyer and the lead media campaigner for Khadija, Hassaan Niazi tweeted: "It was always a fight between the son of a lawyer who stabbed Khadija 23 times vs all the victims who fail to get justice."
When this horrific crime occurred Khadija was apprehensive that justice was not going to be served, she was stabbed over 20 times and today her attacker has been acquitted!! Justice has failed her and we need to speak up ! #JusticeforKhadija https://t.co/IVLdVsSPmQ
— Aseefa B Zardari (@AseefaBZ) June 4, 2018
Another user wrote: "Apparently, stabbing a woman 23 times with a knife is not a crime serious enough when you're rich and powerful."
Justice is a fallacy if you're a woman in Pakistan. Khadija Siddiqi stabbed 23 times by her class fellow Shah Husain, survived, pursued her case amid threats, two years on, the criminal is acquitted. There is NO #JusticeForKhadija. pic.twitter.com/uERshLVfZW
— Naila Inayat (@nailainayat) June 4, 2018
Without justice there can be no peace #WeAreWithKhadija
— Zarrar Khuhro (@ZarrarKhuhro) June 4, 2018
This can only happen in Pakistan! If #MukhtaranMai's rapists had been punished then, today #ShahHussain would not have been acquitted. #Justiceforkhadija #khadijathefighter
— Zofeen Ebrahim (@zofeen28) June 4, 2018
Justice did not die today, in fact this was a good representation of what it is designed to do. It will protect those who know the system and its structures. It has got nothing to do with right or wrong, it is simply about self preservation #Pakistan #Justiceforkhadija
— Adnan Rasool (@adnanrasool) June 4, 2018
Khadija was attacked by her class fellow Shah Hussain, on May 3, 2016, near Shimla Hill where she, along with her driver, had gone to pick her younger sister from school.
Both sisters were about to get into their car when the helmet-wearing suspect attacked Khadija with a knife and stabbed her 23 times, leaving her critically injured.
