Opinion | Diving Deeper into Anonymous Claims of Alleged Sexual Exploitation Rituals in the Pakistan Army

The ongoing anonymous claims of alleged sexual exploitation rituals in the Pakistan Army are mere allegations as of now , but they cannot be ignored, especially given what the Pakistan Army has done in Bangladesh, PoJK, PoGB, Jammu and Kashmir, KP, and Balochistan.

Allegations of misconduct within powerful institution often take a good spot across social media and it happens all across the world, we hear such stories from east to east and north to south. When such claims involve an institution as influential and opaque as the Pakistan Army, they tend to generate both intense scrutiny and deep skepticism. Recently, anonymous claims alleging sexual exploitation rituals within the ranks have sparked debate across media platforms and social discussions. While the subject is sensitive and requires careful handling, it also raises broader questions about accountability, transparency, and the culture within closed institutions. First let’s have a brief introduction on Pakistan that will allow us to understand Pakistan army enough, it is often termed as ‘a state within a state’ as it controls everything and elected government or a giant corporate does like real state, banking, energy infrastructure, government policies and much more and with respect to human rights Pakistan army doesn’t have a record that it can feel proud of, Bangladesh, PoJK/PoGB and Baluchistan bear testimonies to this shameful fact.

At the outset, it is important to underline that these claims remain unverified and largely anonymous. In the absence of credible, independently verified evidence, such allegations should not be treated as established facts. However, dismissing them outright without examination can also be problematic. Anonymous accounts, though difficult to validate, have historically played a role in exposing wrongdoing especially in environments where fear of retaliation discourages open reporting. I hope that these reports are false, untrue baseless and only allegations but when it comes to Pakistan, I cannot ignore anything, that too as a Kashmiri who has witnessed firsthand terror by Pakistan, I know how low can Pakistani steep. I read multiple stories all narrated by women who were newly wedded, saying how higher ranking and powerful generals within the Pakistan army sexually exploit them, harass their husbands for sexual gains from their wives. The women alleged that top generals would say that your husband will have fast promotions or a trip to foreign country or his transfer to violence hit regions like KP or Baluchistan will be halted if their sexual demands are met.

If we look back at the history of Pakistan’s Army, we find a constant pattern: if you cannot silence them, you just break their will by destroying their homes, raping their women, and killing their youth. In Bangladesh, the Pakistan Army committed heinous human rights crimes like mass murder, mass rape of women, and destruction of houses, and the same pattern was repeated in violence-hit provinces like KP and Balochistan. Even in Kashmir, Pakistan-backed terrorists wreaked havoc on common Kashmiris, killed them, abused their daughters and mothers, and harassed the youth. While growing up, I would often hear stories that a certain terrorist abused someone’s daughter or sister, or stories about how Pakistani terrorists would intimidate the father or brother of a woman to give her hand in marriage or allow them a night with a woman of the house. I still recall a treacherous practice called “Gagg Duin,” a practice common in some areas of Pakistan, where a gunman would fire a bullet into the lawn of an unmarried woman; the first to fire a bullet would eventually lay claim to that woman. This malicious practice was also employed in Kashmir, and I myself have heard such stories there; they were terrorists trained, armed, and nurtured by the Pakistan Army. So, any army that installs such irrational sexual exploitation and behaviour in its proxy terrorists raises serious questions about its own mindset. If we connect the dots, those army personnel, officers, and commanders who ordered such acts or committed them eventually became generals or higher officials in the army; their mindset and hunger to exploit women only grew and never diminished. So, if an army has committed such crimes in the past, how can it spare any woman when it enjoys such power and immunity?

What further baffled me was the nature of the allegations themselves claims of “sexual exploitation rituals” adds another layer of complexity. The use of the term “rituals” suggests systemic or repeated practices rather than isolated incidents. If such claims were ever substantiated, they would point toward deeply entrenched issues within institutional culture.

The question is, why anonymous, and why not expose them publicly? Imagine if a general can abuse you, what can he do when you expose him, especially with the power and immunity the army enjoys. Your fear plays a big role. You fear for your husband’s job and livelihood, and you fear for your family.

The Pakistan Army enjoys absolute power and immunity. They control the judiciary, media, and state policies. Their penetration into civilian affairs is so deep that it has made the elected government ineffective. There is no democracy, no secularism, and no stability in Pakistan. As a result, they feel that laws are not applicable to them, and they can do whatever pleases them. They can muzzle protests in PoGB and PoJK, bomb civilians in Afghanistan, loot Baluchistan, or even commit abuses against the wives of their subordinates.

I have read countless narrations on X where a woman describes how her beautiful marriage turned into a punishment, how she was forced to leave her husband and attend to a top Pakistan Army general, how the lustful eyes of those generals stripped her of dignity, and much more. All these stories were painful and heart wrenching. I do not claim or expect these reports to be true, but it is often said that there is no smoke without fire, especially when the topic is the Pakistan Army. When one looks back at the history of the institution, it compels us to at least consider these reports. The use of terms like “ritual” suggests something more than an isolated act; it implies a systematic practice. Having That said, I sincerely hope these reports are untrue. At the same time, they cannot simply be brushed under the carpet.

ALIZAROON@112GMAIL.COM