In Quetta’s Hazara Town, a soldier of the Pakistani security forces was allegedly caught sexually abusing a minor. The residents of the town gathered at the Brewery Police Station to protest and file an FIR against the accused, who they claim is a Frontier Corps soldier. The identities of the victim and the alleged molester were not disclosed.
The protestors mentioned that this is not an isolated incident, as they had previously caught another FC soldier involved in a similar act, which was quietly settled. They demand that such sexual predation must not be tolerated, and the culprit must face justice.
The protestors also expressed mistrust in the Frontier Corps and called for the Quetta Police to replace them, while also demanding the removal of FC checkpoints.
There are unconfirmed reports that instead of investigating the incident and apprehending the accused, the Quetta police arrested the victim’s brother, causing further distress to the family.
The Pakistani forces have faced allegations of sexually abusing children in the past. In April of this year, an FC soldier was accused of assaulting a six-year-old boy in Gwadar, and in October 2022, it was revealed that soldiers of the Pakistani forces had continuously preyed on young boys in the FC Boys Public School, a military-funded institution established by the Frontier Corps.
Such incidents have surfaced in Balochistan over the past several years, especially in areas under the strict control of the FC, like Gwadar. Despite protests and social media campaigns by activists against these heinous crimes, no significant action has been taken.