A female student at a Punjab Group of college, Lahore, has reportedly been raped in the basement of the college, which has caused a lot of anger among students and led to protests. The security guard accused of the crime was caught after trying to escape, and CM Punjab Maryum Nawaz has set up a committee to investigate what happened. Even though the police and officials are taking action, many students still don’t trust them or the college, believing they are trying to downplay the situation.
This lack of trust has led to violent protests on campus, with students clashing with police and getting hurt. Students say the college tried to stop the demonstrations by locking them in classrooms and keeping the media away. They are frustrated because they feel justice is often delayed in similar cases. These confrontations put students at risk and threaten their education and future careers, as getting arrested or facing disciplinary actions could have serious consequences.
Celebrities like Mahira Khan and Yumna Zaidi have spoken out on social media, stressing the need for justice and accountability from institutions. They point out that repeated cases of sexual violence, like the motorway incident and harassment at universities, have made people lose faith in the police’s ability to keep them safe.
However, if it turns out that the allegations are false or exaggerated, it could have serious consequences.
Fake news can damage the lives of innocent people, including the accused, and create a negative image of Pakistan on the global stage. It could lead to increased stigma against students and institutions, making it harder for genuine victims to come forward in the future. The spread of misinformation can also fuel further unrest and division within society, overshadowing the real issues that need to be addressed as each part has a different story to tell.
The ongoing mistrust between students and law enforcement shows that there is a need for better media literacy. Misinformation can often lead to more protests, which can distract from meaningful conversations and decisions by authorities. If students learn to understand the media better, they could focus their energy on peaceful advocacy instead of actions that could harm their futures. At the same time, authorities need to work on rebuilding trust by being transparent and ensuring justice is served quickly.
The call for justice should go beyond social media and protests. It needs to lead to real changes in institutions. As students and activists continue to demand accountability, authorities need to take real steps to regain trust through clear investigations and by listening to students’ concerns as any wrong step could serve as fuel to the fire. A balanced approach that includes responsible media use and accountability from institutions is essential to prevent such tragic events in the future but the question is How many more incidents do we need to witness before we, as a state, learn a peaceful way of protesting and the responsible use of media? When will we learn the difference between propaganda or misinformation and reality?