The motorway incident has traumatized the country. Not because it has happened for the first time, but because of the fact that this continues to happen while we, as a country, continue to foster a culture of shutting our eyes to such grave violations of someone’s dignity, person and life. This situation has been extremely distressing for the awaam who wants to know about the actions taken by the authorities. However, the way CCPO Lahore has been responding to this incident has angered more people.

The moment CCPO Lahore Umar Sheikh indulged in some good old victim blaming, it triggered so many people in Pakistan

As the Police Chief of the city of Lahore, he’s the one leading the law enforcement agency responsible for providing safety to its citizens and maintaining law and order. For him to state that the victim could have easily avoided the incident by opting for an alternate route is apathetic AND pathetic.

Naturally, his statement was followed by some serious backlash but it seems that the CCPO needs to be educated a little more about the issue.

Shockingly, however, CCPO Lahore Umar Sheikh has been reiterating his stance regarding victim blaming in his various statements subsequent to that first, disastrous, interview

Well, CCPO sahab, tried to clarify his initial remark after the severe backlash but he repeated the same thought process i.e. the victim should have been “more” careful. In this particular statement, he said that no Pakistani will ever let a female from their family travel alone around midnight. He repeated his point of GT road being more safer and went on to say, “ mujhay yeh batana hai kay society humari iss tarha ki hai, behno walo, betiyon walo, ainda khayal rakho.”  He also mentioned that the lady is from France and she did not realize the repercussions that she might face in Pakistani society.

Also, while comparing Pakistani society with the society of the Western world, CCPO presented Pakistani society as a society that is devoid of morals or ethics and rule of law. Many wondered why he’s working in law enforcement if not for ensuring the rule of law.

While in conversation with various TV anchors, CCPO sahab continues to repeat his stance and keeps on asserting the responsibility of the woman

The CCPO fails to understand that a woman out at midnight on an empty road is not ‘asking’ to be raped. It is NOT an opportunity for someone to force themselves upon her. Well, for some reason, the CCPO thinks that setting up time limits for women will eliminate incidents like these. He has been mentioning the precautions that should have been taken by the lady and is more focused on ‘ifs’ of the situation. As he states, ‘if’ the women opted for the GT road instead of the ring road, that would have saved her from being raped.

The latest statements by the CCPO Lahore indulging in victim blaming came as a shock for many who had faith in the law enforcement agencies but also realized how deeply entrenched shame culture, victim blaming and misogyny is in us

Many are questioning how someone with this mindset can be given such a responsible rank

Requests to sack the CCPO Lahore for victim blaming are also being made to the Prime Minister

Well, it is on the choice of the Prime Minister he has been appointed, no?

A few even said that the CCPO should be instructed to avoid engagement with media and as soon as he arrests the culprits, an inquiry should be initiated against the officer 

Khadija Siddiqui reminded the officer that she was stabbed 23 times in broad daylight so his point regarding there being a ‘safe’ time for women is irrelevant

People are shocked and saddened by CCPO Lahore victim blaming because that’s the ideology that keeps us from really progressing to equitable justice for all genders

They are demanding that the CCPO Lahore and his victim blaming attitude be immediately removed from the office

People stated the CCPO Lahore indulging in victim blaming for the rape incident will make it difficult for the woman to recover from the physical and mental torture or report such cases in future

So, it should be understood that the only person who’s responsible for the rape is the rapist himself. The victim should not be blamed for the actions performed by the rapist. The authorities including the CCPO should understand that taking the alternate route or changing the time of the visit were the decisions made by the victim and they literally have nothing to do with the rape incident. Any road of this country at any particular time should be safe for ALL the citizens including the women.