Case No. 9, a blockbuster Pakistani drama, has boldly shed light on the sensitive topic of rape and sexual assault. The unique aspect of the drama was a realistic portrayal of a rape survivor’s legal battle and the systemic challenges that women faced in pursuing justice. An intense and true-to-life drama exposes the loopholes in the legal procedure that have never been revealed in Pakistani dramas before.
Pen down by Geo News anchor Shahzeb Khanzada and directed by Syed Wajahat Hussain, the drama incisively explores the issue of sexual violence, elucidating court procedure details. How the rape victim encountered the legal fight, from filing an initial police report (FIR) to the courtroom battles.
A breathtaking opening scene features a strong female lead, Saba Qamar, playing the role of Sehar Moazzam, a bold and confident girl who lives life on her own terms. Episode one shows the victim-blaming and character assassination that Sahar suffered. The subsequent episodes displayed the cruelty of the crime and the power of the judicial system, which leads to a frustrating legal journey, the hardship women survivors face in seeking justice, and proving their innocence.
The male protagonist, Kamran, played by Faysal Quraishi, a rich, authoritative, and forceful person whose ego and entitlement drove him to commit an unforgivable act of sexually assaulting a young woman.
Being powerful and unapologetically arrogant, Kamran manipulated the legal system to his advantage.
In his defense to deny his guilt in the court proceedings, Kamran also bribed domestic staff to change their police statements and not to disclose his secrets in court to protect his reputation and legal position.
The central conflict in the play was the court fight between Kamran and Sehar. Aamina Sheikh as Beenish Ali, the prosecutor, took up Sehar’s case. A high-powered attorney with a sharp intellect, forceful voice of truth, wisdom, and reasoning brought moral clarity to the proceedings.
With her weight of evidence, persuasiveness, and her strength in convincing the judge and jury, Beenish Ali, throughout the play, successfully fought for the rape survivor, Sehar, and helped prove her innocence against a powerful antagonist. She guided the protagonist, Sehar, through the legal system, using the actual Anti-Rape Act and laws to build the case. As an influential prosecutor, she helped the audience gain awareness of how to help rape victims seek justice. She demonstrated how rape cases unfold within Pakistan’s legal framework and systemic loopholes that lead to a biased, complex, and frustrating legal journey for sexual assault survivors.
Advocate Bukhari, Kamran’s lawyer, played by Noor Ul Hassan, defended his client, Kamran, by employing aggressive courtroom tactics. Being an aggressive prosecutor, he employed strong tactics and forced Sehar to admit her guilt. Moreover, Kamran’s lawyer highlighted procedural irregularities to weaken the credibility of Sehar and her attorney in court. Being part of a corrupt legal system, advocate Bukhari exploited the court proceedings through bribing and manipulating witnesses like Rohit (Junaid Khan) and used improper courtroom strategies to make prosecution difficult for the rape survivor.
Rushna Khan as Kiran played the part of Kamran’s wife. Initially, she was unaware of the scandal and denied the allegations against her husband. To maintain his domestic standing, he deceived his wife, Kiran, by falsely claiming that his interaction with Sehar was a consensual affair rather than an assault.
However, knowing the truth through court proceedings compelled her to change her mind. To retaliate in anger against the indecent assault, lying, and deception of Kamran, she left Kamran’s house and went to her parents’ home. It primarily made Kamran worried about his societal standing and respectability in court.
Kamran tried to convince his wife and in-laws that he was righteous, using false statements to prove the allegations as baseless. However, he faced a tough trial till the end.
Inspector Shafiq role played by Gohar Rasheed. Inspector Shafiq is depicted as a complex character with multifaceted traits. A corrupt police officer associated with institutional corruption: featured a degree of professionalism that initially surprises the audience. His actions help expose the procedural realities and challenges within the Pakistani legal system.
The subordinate character roles played by Junaid Khan, Naveen Waqar, Gohar Rasheed, Hina Khawaja Bayat, and Ali Rehman Khan as family members and colleagues significantly drive the plot.
None of the characters remained as silent observers; in fact, they played a proactive role in providing evidence on different perspectives on the central crime.
The suspense-filled drama has finally ended.
After an arduous legal battle, Sehar Moazzam won her sexual assault lawsuit.
Viewers saw the downfall of a powerful and dictatorial businessman, Kamran Haider, who was sentenced to prison. His lies was exposed as Kamran’s wife Kiran leaked CCTV footage live on air, proving his guilt. The other culprits who were involved in aiding Kamran’s crimes also received legal punishment.
The final episode ended with a powerful message directed at the audience. Sehar and Beenish stressed the importance of families, educational institutions, and social organizations in fostering social consciousness among young girls to help prevent sexual assault and confront such events with courage.
Rather than feeling fearful and withdrawing due to societal stigma, girls should speak out and seek legal support to challenge injustice.
The drama highlighted that the alarming rates of violence against women in Pakistan necessitate the legal system to enforce a more robust legal framework, including the immediate filing of a police report (FIR), prompt medico-legal examinations (within six hours) by specialized teams, and the collection of evidence, such as DNA samples and video recordings.
Watching this gripping and insightful drama allows individuals to understand the difficulties within the legal system.
Key obstacles encompass gender bias, the burden for the rape victim to prove their innocence, insufficient medical assessments, discrepancies between the victim’s original testimonies and fabricated proof, and the reclassification of charges to fornication.
A soul-stirring and deeply affecting drama has inspired women to break their silence and confront rape culture.
Advocates for survivors must actively push for significant societal changes and provide both social and legal support for victims.
Additionally, legal institutions should enhance their efficiency and reinforce legislation such as the Anti-Rape (Investigation and Trial) Act, 2021.
The laws ought to be revised to ensure fair and unbiased assistance for survivors, expedited trials, DNA testing, and more severe punishments for the perpetrators of rape.
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