Protect Our Walis and Muntaha Zahras

From the bustling lanes of Sargodha to the cramped streets of Karachi and the serene backwaters of Mirpur Khas, the joyful giggles of our children have been extinguished by brutalities no parent would want to face in their wildest nightmares. Little Muntaha Zahra, a mere seven years old, went out to fetch some sugar from a kiryana store in Block 8 and never came home. Her tender form was discovered inside the establishment, bearing unmistakable marks of torture and death.

In Karachi, young Muhammad Wali, a boy of six years, disappeared from his house’s exterior only to be found in a sack a few days later near the Lea Market – raped and murdered by a man he may have once known as a neighbour. And in Mirpur Khas, a pair of innocent cousin sisters tragically became victims of a self-proclaimed faith healer and his associate; while one perished, the other lies in the Intensive Care Unit fighting for her life.

These tragedies are not isolated occurrences. Instead, they are stark, agonizing reminders of the pervasive darkness that can infiltrate the most familiar spaces – corner grocery stores, houses next door, so-called ‘spiritual guides’ offering remedies. As a Pakistani who shares the anguish of every mother’s sob and every father’s shattered heart, my soul cries out to Allah. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. These precious lives were our collective future, our joy, our ‘Ameen’ in prayers. Today, their tragic ends call not only for outrage but also for action – from us, their parents, their protectors.

The Trust We Invest in the World

Our culture views children as amant (sacred trusts) bestowed by Allah. We teach them to revere their elders and to seek assistance whenever required. Yet these incidents underscore the appalling exploitation of their innocent vulnerability.

An everyday trip to the grocery shop, a moment of outdoor play, or a visit to a pir transformed into a nightmarish horror.

As parents across Pakistan ponder with dread during the lonely hours of night: “How can we protect them?”

I humbly offer some tips

Communicate with children the importance of boundaries and that no one has the right to touch them indecently or make them feel uncomfortable – infuse love while you do it.
Be involved in your children’s lives – know their friends, the routes they take, their interactions with people they encounter regularly.

Thoroughly investigate anyone claiming to be a ‘healer’ and never leave your children alone with them.

Promote neighbourly vigilance and be alert; report suspicious activities and people without delay.
Nurture the strength of your home and your faith through family prayers and duas.

Reduce time spent outside under minimal supervision, especially after dark, and make yourself available to listen to your children’s worries and concerns.

Advocate for better legislation and expedited justice while diligently safeguarding your own children.

Hold your loved ones closer today. Kiss their foreheads, and thank Allah for the invaluable gift that they are. You are the shield your children need. Ya Allah, protect the innocent children of this cherished homeland Pakistan. Bestow strength upon the grieving families and guide us to be more effective guardians.

This is the debt we owe to them. This is what we owe to our qaum. May souls of Wali and Muntaha Zahra find their place in Jannah and may we never have to mourn another child this way again. Ameen.