By Muhammad Ansar Siddique Khawaja
Sometimes, it is profoundly disheartening to witness a society teeming with issues, yet struggling to find a single distinct topic for meaningful discourse. It leaves one wondering: when justice fades, do even the most severe incidents lose their sting?
In the past two weeks, Azad Kashmir has been shaken by a series of chilling events. In the Hajira Baloch area of Rawalakot, powerful individuals abducted a young woman from her home and subjected her to a heinous assault. A helpless mother now roams the corridors of power, pleading for justice. Yet society remains numb, seemingly deaf to her anguished cries. Is she not someone’s daughter, who was treated worse than an animal? Why has our collective conscience become so desensitized?
The roots of crime grow deeper when society remains indifferent to evil. It is only through firm social and cultural responses that negative behaviors can be curbed. Sadly, this was not the only tragic episode.
In another horrific incident, within the jurisdiction of Chokki Police in Chatter Class, a predator violated a disabled elementary school teacher and disgracefully uploaded her immoral video on social media. Despite the gravity of the crime, the suspect is reportedly on the verge of securing bail—an ominous testament to the faltering grip of law.
Elsewhere, at the Muzaffarabad Central Bar, women from a refugee camp shared heartbreaking accounts of exploitation and abuse, questioning the very essence of freedom and dignity. Their plea was simple yet poignant: how can life persist in a place where honor is trampled upon? While those engaged in petty crimes face swift justice, vulnerable people continue to be preyed upon without consequence.
In response, young lawyer Majid Hussain Awan called for a neutral inquiry commission, highlighting the systemic exploitation of these helpless women at the hands of certain law enforcement officials. The cry for justice echoes loudly, yet who is listening?
An equally disturbing story unfolded in Jhelum Valley, where a young man subjected to brutal police torture stood clutching the Quran, pleading for his innocence. His desperation painted a grim picture of justice reduced to a fragile façade.
Amidst these sorrowful tales, there was at least one glimmer of hope: the District Police Officer (DPO) of Mansehra summoned traffic officers to his office and instructed them to treat the public with respect. The action came after a traffic police officer from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa misbehaved with a social leader from Muzaffarabad. Apologies followed after widespread outrage. DPO Mansehra’s resolution of the issue was a testament to true leadership, fortifying ties between Muzaffarabad and Hazara, proving it was not about victory or defeat but about justice and dignity.
Yet, political discourse took a troubling turn when senior politician Chaudhry Latif Akbar, a five-time assembly member, voiced concerns about deteriorating societal values. These shifting dynamics struck a nerve when the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, one of Azad Kashmir’s most prominent officials, held a press conference demanding protection and the arrest of attackers on his convoy. His plea raises a haunting question—if someone in his position feels threatened, what hope remains for the common citizen?
The attack on the Assembly Speaker’s convoy underscores how fragmented we have become—not a unified nation but splintered communities entrenched in political bias. We label opponents as corrupt and hail allies as virtuous. Hypocrisy and moral decay have become our greatest tragedies. This incident bodes ill for political stability.
In the aftermath of these events, one cannot help but lament the state of law enforcement. There was a time when justice was blind—fumbling through courts, seeking sight. Over time, bureaucrats, politicians, and the elite fitted the law with “special prescription glasses.” Now, justice discerns rank, lineage, and status before making a decision. When the law occasionally dared to deliver verdicts without these privileged lenses, it faced a fierce backlash from the influential. Like a spider’s web, justice ensnared the weak while the powerful trampled it without consequence.
Today, it feels as though the law has once again abandoned its vision. Its decisions now seem arbitrary, delivered without truly seeing the accused—a grim reminder that when justice loses its sight, society loses its way.
