Islamabad police drag rape suspect to victim for apology… but people aren’t happy

Swift justice, but at what cost? 

Islamabad Police have shared a video on their official account on Friday, showing them apprehending a man responsible for raping and robbing of a foreign woman within 51 hours of the crime. 

They were successful in recovering the stolen items and identifying the suspect. 

The police force was commended for their swift  professionalism.

However, the police's next move sparked widespread controversy.  

The Islamabad Police's official X (formerly Twitter) account uploaded the video of the survivor, visibly distressed and repeatedly shouting a Quranic verse at the rapist. "Allah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs (for us)," she keeps on saying while crying. 

Her face is blurred but her tense body and angry gestures are visible. The rapist's face is blurred too but for a brief moment he can be seen gesturing to her for forgiveness. 

Although many people were grateful for the arrest, social media users had mixed opinions and were mostly critical of the police for sharing the video. Some people applauded the move and demanded that the suspect faces severe consequences.

"He should be made an example so no one dares to do this again,” one post read.

Some users expressed anger at the lack of safety for women in such circumstances, noting the motorway rape incident when the victim kept phoning the police but no help arrived, while another user said, "Such people should be shot publicly." 

The police's choice to publish the video was also condemned by many. "What sort of law enforcement is this?" 

One person questioned if it was appropriate for the police to post such material on social media.

Others pointed out that sharing such videos on social media only tarnished the country’s reputation, with one tweet stating, “One shameless man has made the entire country look bad.”

"Such videos should not be posted on social media, it's disgraceful," said another person. The choice to release the survivor's footage sparked significant ethical questions regarding privacy, dignity, and how trauma should be handled in public, even if the police were praised for their prompt arrest. 

Although justice was served, there were significant concerns regarding the institutions' duty to safeguard the victim and her dignity while her traumatic experience was made public.