Karachi: Amna Ilyas Criticizes Pakistan’s Legal System and Addresses Women’s Safety Concerns
Amna Ilyas Calls Out Legal Inequality in Pakistan
Well-known Pakistani actress and model Amna Ilyas has recently raised her voice against the legal system in Pakistan, revealing a significant disparity in how the law is used among different social classes. She argued that the needly are the only ones who are being accommodated by the law in Pakistan while everything goes well for the rich, who appear to be above it. Through this criticism, many citizens feel that justice is often beyond the reach of the less privileged.
“Mastani” Movie Release and Amna Ilyas’s Role
Mastani, an awaited romantic comedy film featuring Amna Ilyas and Affan Waheed, was released in theatres across Pakistan on August 23, 2024. Amna shed light on her role in this movie during a media interaction during its release event. Her character is Alia, a lively girl who has not faced any significant struggles in life. According to Amna, playing Alia allowed her to view life from another side, and she learned so much from becoming this person.
Worry Over Increasing Violence Against Women
In the course of an event, Amna Ilyas was asked by a journalist about the rise in violence against women in Pakistan and India. Due to this question, she made an emotional statement about her feeling of safety. She opened up, “I don’t feel safe as a woman in Pakistan.”
She further expressed her concerns by noting that getting justice is difficult for women. Mainly when they are victims of powerful or influential persons. She asked if there was any hope for justice for people who were just like her: “God forbid if something wrong happens to me in the future, and the person involved is powerful in terms of wealth and position. How will I get justice? Because there is no law for powerful people in Pakistan.”
The Need for Exemplary Punishments
Moreover, crime and punishment issues within Pakistan’s legal culture were briefly discussed by Amna Ilyas; it was emphasized that those who commit atrocious crimes should be severely punished as examples to others. She argues that, without such deterrents, violent incidents, especially against women, are unlikely to go away.
“Until we give criminals exemplary punishments, incidents of violence and sexual abuse will not decrease,” she said. It is also worth noting that Amna stressed equality before the law irrespective of sex, arguing that “If a woman is also involved in crimes, she should be punished too because the law is the same for both male and female.”
The Noor Mukadam Case: A Reflection of Systemic Failures
Amna used the high-profile Noor Mukadam case as an example to illustrate her point about the flaws in the legal system. She lamented how casually, however explicitly described, worded, yet clear-cut the murder trial for Holland Davis was. He remains comfortably incarcerated, awaiting sentence postponement after postponement. And amid this ongoing court process, Noor’s parents are continuously experiencing endless pain and distress due to delays in justice. “Take the Noor Mukadam case as an example. The accused is living comfortably in jail, and no verdict has yet been made regarding his punishment. While each day, Noor’s parents are given another date,” Amna disclosed.
Demand for Reform
Amna Ilyas called on those in authority to be accountable for enhancing the Pakistani legal system. She stressed that without significant changes, the justice system would not function in favor of Pakistanis, especially the vulnerable population. We should, therefore, urge our authorities to improve our system and las. Amna Ilya’s words echo a broader demand for justice and equality. Displaying the anger of many people who want a fair and equitable society.
