Eshal Fatima, a 17-year-old first-year college student from Jhang, left home on 4 June to collect clothes from a tailor. She never returned. Her family received an anonymous call on 7 June informing them her condition had deteriorated and she was at a private hospital. By the time they arrived, police had shifted her to DHQ Hospital, where emergency treatment began, but she died. Three young men have been arrested, and a female facilitator has also been detained. The forensic picture is still incomplete.
Systemic Failures in Protecting Girls
This case echoes the 2018 Kasur tragedy where seven-year-old Zainab was raped and murdered. Her killer was a neighbor who joined protests after her death. That case led to Pakistan's first national child safety law, the Zainab Alert Bill, which mandates legal action against officials who delay investigating a missing child case beyond two hours. Yet, eight years later, Eshal's family waited before filing a report, thinking she might return.
According to Sahil's Cruel Numbers 2024 report, 3,364 child abuse cases were reported across Pakistan last year—nine children abused every day. The conviction rate in nearly all categories is less than one per cent. The system has trained families to hesitate at the exact moment they should be screaming.
Colonial Legacy and Policing
The British built a police structure designed to manage populations, not protect them. Pakistan inherited that architecture whole. When a girl goes missing, the first questions asked are: Where was she going? Who was she with? This victim-blaming mentality persists.
Families with resources hire lawyers on day one and know which DPO to call. But Eshal's family was from Sultan Colony, ordinary people. Poor families lose children to a justice system priced out of their reach.
The Psychological Toll
Fear is a constant tax on women and mothers. They raise daughters with confidence while simultaneously shrinking their world to keep them safe. The Zainab Alert Bill, passed in 2019, mandates immediate alerts via mobile networks and media. On paper, protection exists. On the ground, a 17-year-old was missing for three days before anyone outside her circle knew.
We are told to be resilient. But strength should not be a substitute for safety. A daughter should be able to collect clothes from a tailor without fear.
