THIS is apropos the news report ‘Harassment of female varsity student protested in Gilgit’ (Nov 21). It was heartening to see a large number of Karakorum International University students take a stand for their colleague and stage protest rallies to demand a fair investigation.

The protest soon spread and demonstrations condemning the incident were also held in Gilgit city, Skardu, Aliabad and Gulmit in Hunza.

While there was a visible trend of condemning alleged harassers, there is also a darker side to the reaction on social media that should make all of us worried.

A large number of seemingly educated people, some working for government departments, engaged in victim-blaming on social media. Instead of demanding fair investigation, they resorted to threatening and blaming the victim, her community and her region.

The people who are engaged in blaming the victim need to realise that they are playing into the hands of the harassers and encouraging them to carry on with their horrible acts. Under no circumstances should society support a culture of silence.

By haranguing the student who was victimised for reporting harassment, they are sending a message to future victims that they will not find support from society in their search for dignity and justice.

Shouldn’t this be a wake-up call for the powers that be and the luminaries who call themselves the custodians of our faith, values and culture?

Noor Pamiri
New York, USA

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2020