WHERE PAKISTAN'S DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LAW FAILS.

ISLAMABAD -- Muhammad Zayan, 14-months old, sitting in his mother's lap at a private shelter home in Rawalpindi, is continually trying to divert his mother's attention as tears roll down her face whilst narrating her two-year long ordeal of violence perpetuated by her husband and in-laws. Although the child is not of the age to understand the sensitivity and complexity of the situation, Zayan's activities during the interview clearly suggest that he is deeply perturbed by his mother's tears.

Neelum, a resident of Rawalpindi, along with her child Zayan, is currently living at a private shelter home. Three weeks ago, Neelum and Zayan were shifted there due to a risk to their lives. Since then, Zayan has established a kind of closeness with other children of his age at the shelter home. 'He usually enjoys playing with children He rarely demanded my special attention at home or even here at the shelter, but in the last few days, he has started behaving strangely,' said Neelum.

Psychologists are of the opinion that children get affected by the environment in which they are brought up, and it leaves a life-long impact on their psychological wellbeing and personality.

In Pakistan, Zayan is not the only child in this plight. Sadly, there are hundreds of thousands of children like him who are exposed to various types of violence and abuse. Sometimes, their traumas lead them to violence later in their lives. Rawalpindi Division SSP (Investigation) Ghazanfar Ali Shah says that a large majority of offenders of such type of violence and abuse are themselves victims of similar traumas.

According to Sahil, a non-profit organization working for child rights, as many as 2,960 major crimes against children were reported in 2020 in the four provinces, and Islamabad, Azad Jammu Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan regions. On average, in Pakistan, eight children were abused every day in one form or the other; 51 percent of the victims are girls and 49 percent boys. The report states that 2020, compared to the previous year, saw a four percent increase in child abuse cases.

Psychologists say that children who witness domestic violence are at a serious risk to long-term physical and mental health problems. Children who witness violence between parents may be at a greater risk of being violent in their future relationships. Mental health experts say that young children who experience spousal violence are prone to unsavoury habits such as thumb-sucking, increased crying, and whining.

What will be the future of little Zayan, only God knows.

A two-year ordeal

According to Neelum, she was a victim of perpetual violence since her marriage to Irfan Hussain. Her husband started beating her just two weeks after their marriage, and after that, it become a routine affair. She was not even spared during her pregnancy, adding that it was a special blessing of the Almighty that she could survive her pregnancy. Violence didn't end even after childbirth. It happened two weeks after her child's delivery, causing rupturing of stitches, leading to months-long complication and pain. Her husband has issued threats against her in case she fails to return to him. She said that he even lit a fire outside her parents' home as a warning of his intentions.

Weak investigation system

A team from the Saddar Bairuni police station, after receiving a call from a neighbour, rescued Neelum from her husband's captivity. The neighbour said that Neelum was crying for help as she was being severely beaten; someone heard her cries and informed the local police. ASI Waqas, along with his team, raided the house and rescued her.

In the presence of her in-laws, her husband brutally beat her, injuring her nose and decreeing divorce thrice. When she tried to flee, he dragged her to the washroom and locked her there in her injured condition...