Someone’s rape and murder are one of the most brutal crimes ever to be committed against someone, yet recent news would reveal how common they are in Pakistan. While many were debating if child sexual abuse is the problem of a specific province, little Asma lost her life due to a sexual predator in Mardan.
Just a day after the Zainab incident came to the forefront, Asma went through the same torture in Mardan

Four years old and full of life, Asma was kidnapped and brutally murdered.
After her parents reported her missing to the police, they found her dead body in a sugar cane field
Autopsy results showed that she had been raped prior to being murdered.

The gut wrenching news prompted the people to take to Twitter to express their outrage and call out the authorities for the lack of safety in our own country and the lack of justice in such cases
Protection
for kids
&#JusticeForZainab & #Asma— Shamsul-Amin Pirzada (@S_AminPirzada) January 18, 2018
Another tragedy, another test of our system! 4 year old Asma kidnapped, raped & murdered in Mardan…..JIT formed by IG KP & DPO Mardan, more than 15 suspects arrested and geo fencing of the area underway. This is a litmus test case for KP Police. #JusticeForAsma
— Hamza Ali Abbasi (@iamhamzaabbasi) January 17, 2018
Many called out the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to take action because the same is happening in the province that they are in charge of
IK shud have been with the family of Asma in mardan. Why didn't Tahir Ul Qadri didn't even mention Asma. Why was Aitzaz quite on Asma
— Mohammad Zubair (@RealM_Zubair) January 17, 2018
Dear @ImranKhanPTI @CMKPKOfficial when you will visit mardan asma of kpk calling you for justice pic.twitter.com/4ydKJypd2y
— Azhar Javaid (@azharjavaiduk) January 17, 2018
Autopsy confirms that 4-year-old Asma was raped before murder. What has the KP govt done about it? Why is the @PTIofficial leadership mum over it? #JusticeForAsma
— Ali Salman Alvi (@alisalmanalvi) January 17, 2018
Report confirms Asma was raped and killed in Mardan but PTI's govt trying to cover it up and looking to Punjab for forensic investigation. KP police helping the suspects and putting pressure on victim's family 2 stay quiet. pic.twitter.com/Ez7zLn7yfx
— Sarah Jawad (@SarahJawadKhan) January 17, 2018
Still waiting for @ImranKhanPTI's condemnation tweet on #Asma's brutal rape and murder in #Mardan
— raza haidery (@itstherazz) January 17, 2018
Many also questioned the model police of KP that the province boasts of
Police asked for Rs. 25,000 to register FIR of 3 year's Asma in Mardan.@RabiaAnumm @GFarooqi #JusticeForAsma
— Muhammad Adeel (@adeelsher) January 17, 2018
#PTI should condemn rape & murder case of little angel Asma & hold responsible of #KPK police & CM KPK!#JusticeForAsma
— Disqualified Punjabi (@sheenaabidashah) January 17, 2018
2 minor girls raped & murdered in CM Pervaiz Khattak town. Now 4-year-old Asma raped before murder in Mardan but Imran Khan silent, coz this is KPK & so-called model police Sleeping#JusticeForAsma
— Zeeshan Malik (@zee_malik1) January 17, 2018
Others pointed out how this is not the problem of a specific province, rather it happens everywhere. The problem needs to be addressed as a collective whole
Zainab was not a Punjabi and Asma is not a Pakhtoon. They both were the daughters of Pakistan & both need justice. #JusticeForAsma #JusticeForZainab
— Amir Raza (@amirraza632) January 17, 2018
Asma was also the daughter of Pakistan like Zainab.
Plz raise your voice for Asma
She also wants justice#JusticeForAsma— Laraib? (@iStunning_girl) January 17, 2018
Grieved to know abt 3-year old Asma's murder in Mardan. Issue of child abuse is above all divides of politics, caste, regions & ethnicity. Let us get together 2 bring all those 2 justice that r targeting the future of our nation, our children. We can fight political battles later
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) January 17, 2018
The update now is that Chief Minister of KP Pervaiz Khattak along with Atif Khan and DIG Mardan visited Asma’s residence and promised full support and cooperation
Atif Khan and DIG #Mardan visited the residence of Asma and assured the parents of Asma that the culprits will be caught at all cost#KPKUpdates pic.twitter.com/Gs7SQjrQ9K
— KPK Updates (@KPKUpdates) January 17, 2018
However, the most pertinent question in the matter remains…
More and more cases of child rape and murder are surfacing. In a few weeks we’ll probably forget about Zainab and Asma just like we forgot others before them. Will ther ever get justice? Will this ever stop? Depressing and horrifying to say the least
— Sundar Waqar (@sundar_waqar) January 17, 2018
People are right in demanding answers about the lack of noise on Asma’s murder. No protests, minimum coverage by mainstream media and no notice of the incident by the authorities which were vigilant in Zainab’s case. It is a proof of how little our attention span is and it is just a matter of days before we forget to push and demand for action in these cases. This is exactly why legislations never materialize in the form of implementation.
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Cover image via: @Habibies / Twitter