Pakistan-Alsharqiya August 31: Pakistan stopped showing a drama series due to scenes reminiscent of a gang rape, under the pretext that it might “distort” the country’s image by presenting it as “a dangerous place for women.”
In September 2020, a French Pakistani woman was raped in front of her children after her car ran out of fuel on the side of the road near Lahore, eastern Pakistan.
On Wednesday, the State Media Regulatory Authority (Bimra) announced that the series "Hadithah", which began airing a week ago, will stop broadcasting because it is closely inspired by this real issue.
The commission indicated that "the embodiment of such a heinous act will not only re-traumatize the poor victim, but will also tarnish the country's image."
In Pakistan, rape cases are rarely reported, and victims' testimonies are often not given enough weight, in a country largely governed by a patriarchal code of "honor" that systematically oppresses women.
According to official figures, only 0.3% of rape cases lead to a conviction.
"Overseas viewers will view Pakistan as a dangerous place for women" when watching the series, which "does not portray a true representation of Pakistani society," Pemra said.
This case led to demonstrations in several Pakistani cities to demand better protection for women, and to denounce comments made by a policeman who appeared to hold the victim responsible for her fate.
The Lahore police chief blamed the victim for driving at night unaccompanied by a man, and that she "thought Pakistani society was as secure as France," before he had to apologise.
The victim's lawyer, Mohamed Ahmed Bansuta, told AFP on Wednesday that he had filed a complaint with the State Media Regulatory Authority (BEMRA) against the series on behalf of his client.
"She told me that actually, every time she watches an episode, or sees how people react when they watch it, she relives the whole shock," he explained, adding, "She's not very comfortable with that."
Episodes 4 and 5 of the series "Incident" show the kidnapping and assault of a woman and her son after their car broke down, and it appears later that the woman was raped.
Before the series was banned, actress Park Kayani, who plays the role of the raped woman, denied that the series was inspired by the Lahore crime.
"Unfortunately, horrific acts of rape or violence happen all too often in our society," she wrote on the X platform (formerly Twitter).
She added, "An Incident is not based on a single person's story, but rather an abnormally ordinary part of our reality."
Pakistan remains a very conservative country, and women who seek emancipation by choosing husbands, or working outside the home, are routinely persecuted.
But there are signs of growing discontent with the way sexual assault cases are being handled.
The government, which was called upon by demonstrators to crack down on sexual crimes after the Lahore rape, responded with a new law providing for chemical castration of rapists.
Two men were sentenced to death in 2021 for participating in this rape, but the sentence has not yet been implemented.
