Case No. 9, the play airing on GEO nowadays, penned by Shahzeb Khanzada, is earning immense critical acclaim for its bold subject, hard-hitting dialogues and top-notch direction. As always, Saba breathes life into her role and is incredibly believable and convincing as the rape victim, Sehar Moazzam.
The supporting cast boasts an impressive line-up, including the likes of Aamina Sheikh, Noor ul Hassan, Junaid Khan, Naveen Waqar and Gohar Rasheed. In fact, Gohar as Inspector Shafique delivers an award-worthy performance and shines brighter than the main lead, Faysal Qureshi. His friend, Rohit (Junaid Khan), also acts impeccably and extremely convincingly portrays a man torn between his conscience and his loyalty to his friend.
As the only witness to what happened that night, he is pressurised into keeping his mouth shut by his friend; however, his wife, who is a human rights activist, assures Saba of her support and assistance. Aamina steps in as her lawyer, and it is a treat to watch her after a considerable hiatus on the small screen. A prolific and seasoned actress, she is a delight to watch and extremely convincing as Saba’s attorney.
The courtroom drama in the coming episodes promises to raise the bar even more. It is encouraging to see that the audience is now being exposed to a variety of genres and, instead of the usual saas-bahu conspiracies that we see, is now venturing into uncharted territory. GEO, as a mainstream channel, needs to be applauded for this extremely bold step and for raising awareness about a number of issues through this production—for example, the fact that the protagonist is a divorcée and therefore is seen as “available.”
This depicts the typical mindset of the men in this society: that if a woman is unattached (single/divorced/widowed), she is (as mentioned earlier) assumed to be available and ready to fall into bed with the first man who expresses interest. There is another very interesting play, Goonj, being aired on another channel, which also talks about workplace harassment and the inbuilt assumption that women who reach the top do not do so based on merit but in return for sexual favours.
Victims of sexual assault or workplace harassment should be encouraged to come forward and complain, rather than being locked up in the house for fear of the shame and dishonour associated with it
Workplace harassment is often brushed under the carpet, and women, for fear of being stigmatised and labelled, are pressurised into keeping mum about it. The protagonist in Goonj attempts to take the bull by the horns, but then is unprepared for what ensues and the kind of mudslinging that follows. Incidentally, both plays talk about workplace harassment and how unattached women are viewed as soft targets in the workplace. If they are good at what they do, this is seen as all the more reason to slander and defame them by attacking their character.
It is heartening to see that two mainstream channels have picked on two very bold but highly pertinent subjects for their prime-time slot. As an increasingly large number of women enter the workplace and excel at what they do, their rights need to be protected, and they need to be treated and respected as equals in the workplace. Fingers should not be raised at them because they work alongside men and so must be of questionable character.
Similarly, Case No. 9 also exposes the anomalies and incongruities of the legal system in this country. Rape victims are subjected to invasive and offensive questioning and discouraged from reporting the crime, for fear of the stigma attached to it. The conviction rate in rape cases is reported to be a mere 3%, which is an eye-opener, judging from the frequency of these incidents.
Also, the rape victim has a much better chance of winning the case if the crime is reported immediately and a medical examination is done, preferably without bathing. Several people would assert that plays like these should not be shown without a trigger warning and are not appropriate for children, so maybe a disclaimer should be given. Whether they are suitable for prime-time viewing or not, the fact that a prime-time slot has been awarded to two hard-hitting plays by two mainstream channels on two extremely pertinent topics speaks volumes.
Pakistan has had a female Prime Minister and a Foreign Minister, and currently, the Chief Minister of Punjab is also a woman. Victims of sexual assault or workplace harassment should be encouraged to come forward and complain, rather than being locked up in the house for fear of the shame and dishonour associated with it. As mentioned, the conviction rate also goes up if the crime is reported immediately.
Let’s hope people sit up and take notice, and we continue to see more of such hard-hitting plays in the future!