“Today, I am not your anchor Kiran Naz, I am a mother,” said Naz as she opened the show on Pakistan’s news channel Samaa TV with her daughter sitting in her lap. In a strong opening statement, Naz lashed out at the Pakistan authorities for the way in which the rape and murder of a minor in Pakistan’s Kasur was being handled.
In her 2-minute monologue, Naz lashed out over the rape and murder of 7-year-old Zainab Ansari, whose body was found dumped in a garbage bin.
The smaller the coffin, the heavier it is. Today, Pakistan is burdened by the weight of Zainab’s coffin.Kiran Naz said in the monologue
Zainab went missing on 4 January after she left her house to attend a class on Quranic studies. Her parents, who were on a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia at the time of the incident, have vowed not to bury Zainab’s body till she gets justice.
While her parents were praying for her long life, her life here was being cut short by a monster. While her parents were buying toys for her, her body was being dumped in a garbage bin. While her parents were waiting to hug their daughter, she was being butchered.Kiran Naz said in the monologue
The people of Kasur who were outraged over the incident went violent leading to a face-off between the police and citizens, killing two. While leaders and authorities across Pakistan have publicly condemned the incident, Naz also questioned the way the investigations were taking place.
Regrets, condemnation, committees, commissions, enquiries and suo-motu will now follow, but Zainab doesn’t need justice from the Pakistan authorities, justice will be done to her by God when she will rise from her corpse and ask God as to why she was killed. God will give her the right to punish the perpetrators. This isn’t Zainab’s corpse, this is the corpse of humanity.Kiran Naz said in the monologue
People across India and Pakistan were moved by Naz’s gesture and her powerful monologue. Twitter was all-praise for Naz.
(With inputs from AP)
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