Outlawed in Pakistan

Outlawed in Pakistan tells the story of Kainat Soomro as she takes a rape case through Pakistan’s deeply flawed criminal justice system. The 13-year-old Kainat accuses four men from her village of kidnapping and raping her. Spanning more than five years, the story is told through the perspective of both Kainat and the accused rapists.

Kainat’s confession of the gang rape places her squarely in the public eye in a country where rape victims are routinely treated as dishonorable. Her decision to speak publicly about the alleged rape puts Kainat and her family in grave danger, forcing the teenager to live under police protection for her safety.

As Kainat heads to court, she faces another battle. The police’s limited investigation in the case makes it nearly impossible for her to prove the rape. Yet Kainat vows to keep fighting until the alleged rapists are sentenced to death. Meanwhile, the alleged rapists launch a public campaign against Kainat, calling the teenager a liar. In short time, the situation takes a deadly turn.