Will they ever be able to leave sinful life?

Islamabad
‘Ms A’ was lost in deep thought, while expressions of remorse, agony, anguish and fear were prominent on her face. Apparently she seems to be a young woman from an educated and humble family background. That’s the reason she was prominent among nine other women who were arrested from a guesthouse located in a posh-housing society of the federal capital. Like eight other women, she was also charged with allegations of being accomplice in prostitution and maybe it was first time that she has to encounter police officials. Her silence was indicating that either she was newcomer in such an ugly practices or some grave compulsion had forced her to be a prostitute.
What had forced her that she decided to come to ‘The News’ office with another young woman (Ms Y) who was also arrested with her from the guesthouse? (names of the women were not mentioned deliberately). Both of them were among nine girls who were arrested from a guesthouse with charges of prostitution. Getting interim-bail from the court, they reached the office of the newspaper with sole objective to seek justice and assistance. One of the two women (Ms Y) seemed extra-ordinarily clever while other (Ms A) looks reticent from her behaviour. Both were quite different due to their outlook and appearance. Ms Y despite younger in age looked veteran through gestures of her body-language while Ms A appeared civilized and reserved and it seems that she is not used to with this ugly ‘profession’.
It was an anguishing and mysterious experience of my life, as I was aware that which profession they belonged to and was confounded knowing that that they were involved in a practice that was misleading youth of a destructive path. I was trying to avoid long-conversation with them but this tacit attitude on my part was against my professional norms. Being a journalist this is my first responsibility to listen them, so I asked them to tell their tale, and in response whatever they complained about police attitude and police conduct was not something new for me but their effective way of conversation forced me to listen them carefully.
They complained that officials of police raiding squad, which raided the guesthouse and arrested them, on their way to police station not only humiliated them but also sexually assaulted them in the rooms of police station.
On listening their tragic tale, questions raised in my mind relating their ‘nobility’. Why asked the women were of the view that Police Station should be a place that ensures protection to all without any discrimination. Their point of view was solid that if honour of a woman is not safe within the walls of a police station how honour and dignity for women could be ensured in the society?
During this entire conversation, the Ms A said, “I want to leave this sinful life”. On my query, she responded, “she will not include forbidden sustenance in bread of her children.” Through her stance, “I come to know that she is mother of two children”. While Ms Y, who was passing through youthful days of her life also resolved to leave this sinful life.
Maybe this was first time that they encountered police and had to face jail. Their resolve raised queries in my mind that what did compel them to leave this sinful life and did our society accept them, and this was perturbing me that how could I help them to lead a respectful life.
On a question they vowed, “We have decided to stay away from this nuisance and sinful life and, no doubt, we have to face problems and complexities initially, but we are ready for that.”
Ms A disclosed that she hailed from Lahore and have to look after two kids, a paralysed husband and her parents, and her in-laws are not resourceful to assist her family. She said, subsequently, she has to bear the burden of her family and this sinful life is result of this situation. Speaking her mind, she said that she wanted to educate her children. “My both children are receiving education in an English medium school and also receiving Quranic education from a seminary,” Ms A said. The conversation on part of Ms A shocked me, on her continuous refusal, it was not possible for me to believe that she has never received any formal education from any school.
She was speaking elegantly with believe in her eyes. When I asked her, how she would face expenditures of her family after leaving this ‘profession’, her reply left me surprised, she said that the Punjab government has established a garment factory in Lahore, which provide jobs to helpless women on Rs14,000 monthly salary.
This was something new for me as I did not know that the Punjab government had established such a factory to provide jobs to helpless women. Such sort of initiative could prove a great step on part of the Punjab government to rescue helpless women from such sinful life. That should be first priority on part of the government as no one could find excuse that one has left with no other option but to pursue sinful life. I can’t say with firm-believe that these women would not again pursue this sinful life for their survival, as sinful acts are easiest way to earn livelihood but seeking the path of righteousness from falsehood is favourite act before Allah Almighty and this is the crux of all worships.