Anwaar
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Speak the truth and keep on coming.
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Post by Anwaar on Mar 21, 2006 19:33:18 GMT 4
Pitiable Plight of Pakistani Women
_________________________________________________________ In the name of God and in the name of honor the Pakistani women have been harried long enough. It is time they are restored to the venerated place they actually have in Islam. _________________________________________________________
THERE IS a species of Homo sapiens found in large numbers in Pakistan whose plight is worse than animals. Amazingly, the male of the species hunts its own female counterpart in a deadly blood sport. The females are killed, maimed and their spirits broken by their males in a variety of ways.
They are burnt, electrocuted, tortured till death, doused with acid, starved, sentenced to life confinement, humiliated privately, paraded and dragged naked in town squares publicly. They are punched, kicked and slapped into submission. Once broken in body and spirit, some are sold like cattle and some exchanged like property items to settle old disputes.
Last year 631 of this species was killed in the first eight months as reported by an independent Rights Commission. No statistics were available from remote areas in Pakistan where this blood sport is a favorite pastime. Like in the past, some of the favorite methods of killing remained stabbing, shooting, burning, hacking to pieces, strangulating and slitting open their throats with sharp weapons. Indications are that the customary figure of 1000 honor killings a year must have been beaten by a comfortable margin in the year 2003.
This species is none other than the hapless Pakistani woman. The proud recipients of last year's badge of honor were 247 husbands, 112 brothers, 54 fathers, 25 sons and two uncles. In other cases, as there is no mention of who carried out the killing, the badge of honor can safely be awarded to the whole family. Ironically, all this while these women continued to be called as mothers, sisters, wives and daughters.
In 1998 alone, 54 cases of women being stripped and dragged through the streets of Punjab in 'revenge' attacks were recorded. Between 1994 and 1999, almost 4,000 cases of women being badly burned were documented in the tiny twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi alone. An abysmally low percentage survives. The rest go on to a permanently disfigured existence. It is believed to be only the tip of the iceberg.
After General Zia's Hudood Ordinance, women have routinely become convicts in their own rapes for lack of evidence. Unable to produce four 'pious' male witnesses who have observed the act from close quarters, scores are now languishing in Pakistani jails with no hope of escape from their captors. Others have been publicly lashed and fined for their own rapes.
The judges alone are not having the fun. In one instance, even the village elders joined the spree. They condemned a woman on frivolous charges to be gang-raped by beastly men with the whole village in attendance. The ghastly sentence was carried out in letter and spirit. Incredibly, last year two six years old children too were found fit to be killed by their relations in the name of honor in the southern Pakistani province of Sindh. The disaster was averted only by timely intervention of local influential persons.
To escape death by hanging, four men from Mianwali district agreed to pay $130,000 and give eight of their daughters away in marriage to the victims' families. One angel-faced child named Iqra was only 5 years old. Fourteen years old Tasleem Khan was betrothed to a 55-year-old farmer.
The Pakistani male has two expedient modes to validate all this horror. Islam and/or prevalent culture in parts of Pakistan. He conveniently switches between these modes to justify all the suffering heaped upon the luckless women. When attention is drawn to the plight of women in Pakistan, ideologues are quick to refute such charges by painting a lofty picture of the high status of women in Islam. When Quranic Ayahs dealing with the subject of women are quoted exactly to women's benefit, the culturists are quick to come up with Pathan, Sindhi, Punjabi or Balochi culture as their second line of defense.
Every law, from God's to man's, grants men and women equal rights. Woman is recognized by Islam as a full and equal partner of man in the procreation of humankind. By this partnership she has an equal contribution in every facet of this process. She undertakes equal responsibilities and is, therefore, entitled to equal rights. In her are as many qualities and as much humanity as there are in her partner. God says:
And their Lord has accepted (their prayers) and answered them (saying): 'Never will I cause to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female; you are members, one of another...(3:195)
The status of woman is clearly given in the following Quranic injunction;
.........And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them, according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage as in some cases of inheritance) over them (2:228).
This degree is not a license of superiority or an authorization of brutal governance over her. It is to match with the extra responsibilities of man and give him some compensation for his many responsibilities. It is these extra responsibilities that give man a degree over woman in some economic aspects. It is not a higher degree in humanity or in character. Nor is it a dominance of one over the other or suppression of one by the other.
Consider the following momentous verse, addressing men and women equally - as believers, as members of the community, with equal access to God's "Forgiveness and great reward":
"For Muslim men and women, For believing men and women, For devout men and women, For men and women who are patient and constant, For men and women who humble themselves, For men and women who give in charity, For men and women who fast (and deny themselves), For men and women who guard their chastity, and For men and women who engage much in God's praise, For them has God prepared forgiveness and great reward." (33:35)
Remarkably, all verses pertaining to Hijaab, Zina and Talaaq are almost memorized by heart by the Pakistani Muslim males. While this one, so profoundly dealing with the equality of Muslim males and females is perhaps one of the lesser known. Therefore, most Muslim men, and even women, grow up believing that their religious laws place women below men and more importantly, that this is an indisputable and absolute fact.
Well, it is not. From the Quran, it is abundantly clear that both men and women are promised the same reward for good deeds and the same punishment for misconduct. The Prophet (PBUH) necessitated the pursuit of knowledge for both Muslim men and women equally. To sum it up, in Islam there is indeed absolutely no difference between men and women as far as their relationship to Allah is concerned.
Man made laws too guarantee equality of both sexes. Both the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and the Pakistani constitution clearly, emphatically and unambiguously guarantee equality on grounds of sex.
On the governmental level, no whole hearted attempt has ever been made to translate these into honest legislation and ensure its strict enforcement, legally and socially, to eradicate the evil root and branch. As a people, we conveniently switch between the divine and the man made laws, throwing in culture for good measures, allowing no escape to these unfortunate creatures. Vis-à-vis Pakistani male, it's a heads-you-lose-tails-I-win situation for the Pakistani female.
To give just two examples of this convenient, but contradictory, arrangement consider the following:
There are clear injunctions in the Quran regarding women's share in their parent's property. A huge majority of Pathans, Sindhis, Balochis and even Punjabis in rural areas distribute their properties only among their male off-springs. The women inherit nothing. Reason given: Culture.
Yet, when Islam enjoins Hijaab on women, these very males are more than willing to even exceed the manner prescribed by God. They wrap them up in thick suffocating bolts of cloth with just two slits left open to peep out from. In parts of Muslim world, even a horse-like contraption is enforced on these women in public. Reason given: Islam.
Ironically, even while employing culture as the standard excuse, the Pakistani males are unabashedly selective. If killing has to carried out, why is there honor killing of women only? Why can't men be killed to vindicate the same honor? Is it because the men can retaliate and the women are weak and defenseless? Some men, some honor, some sense of fairness, some double bloody standards.
Perhaps time has come to call a spade a spade. Violence against the women of Pakistan has to be addressed forcefully and finally. The Government of Pakistan must actually honor its obligations under International law to protect women. All reports of honor killings and domestic abuse should be doggedly investigated and persistently prosecuted. Wide-ranging and sustained public awareness programs should be carried out on the state-run media to inform all Pakistanis of women's equal rights.
The people of Pakistan too need to carry out an honest hypocrisy check. The bigots must be effectively discouraged from negative portrayals of women and prejudices against them. In the name of God and in the name of honor the Pakistani women have been harried long enough. It is time they are restored to the venerated place they actually have in Islam.
Copyrights : Anwaar Hussain
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michelle
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I have broken any attachments I had to the Ascended Masters and their teachings; drains your chi!
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Post by michelle on Aug 14, 2008 3:04:48 GMT 4
PAKISTAN: Five women buried alive, allegedly by the brother of a minister Oh God! Five women, two minors, buried ALIVE for wanting to make independent decisions for marriage. The three younger women were beaten then shot, but not mortally wounded, and shoved into a ditch. The remaining women were pushed in the ditch after protesting; onlookers were kept away at gun point while they were covered with dirt.
After one month the police have still not registered the case! What the heck, people! I came across this story while doing searches on women's life in Pakistan. You'd think a story like this would be reported, but no, I found 2 articles on it and one is only a copy of the following.
Go to the source link where you can send letters to authorities demanding to file the case of murder of five women by burial alive by the perpetrators. This heinous murder was allegedly carried out by the younger brother of Mr. Sadiq Umrani, the provincial minister and a prominent leader of the Pakistan People's Party, the ruling party......I can't stress enough the significance of a cover up for a politician's family member, let alone the total disregard for these women's lives.
The article also suggests you send a fax to the listed authorities. Here in the U.S. we have found this extremely useful for getting politicians' attention. An e-mail is easily ignored, but imagine a flood of hard copies [faxes] covering office floors when you, as a large group, take action. PLEASE, forward this information to all that you know.
Thanking you for taking action, MichellePAKISTAN: Five women buried alive, allegedly by the brother of a minister [NOTICE: The AHRC has developed this automatic letter-sending system using the "button" below. Please click the button for your participation. We also encourage you to send your appeal letters via fax or post to those people. Fax numbers and postal addresses of the Pakistan authorities are attached below with this appeal. Thank you.]ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME
Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-182-200811 August 2008 --------------------------------------------------------------------- PAKISTAN: Five women buried alive, allegedly by the brother of a ministerISSUES: Honour killing; violence against women; impunity; no investigation; abduction; murder --------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear friends,The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information from a remote area of Balochistan province, that five women were buried alive, allegedly by the younger brother of Mr. Sadiq Umrani, the provincial minister and a prominent leader of the Pakistan People's Party, the ruling party. However, police have still not arrested the perpetrators after one month of the incident. CASE DETAILS:The Umrani tribe is mainly concentrated in the Jafarabad and Naseerabad districts of Balochistan provice that are about 300 kilometers from Quetta city, the provincial capital. Mr. Sadiq Umrani, the provincial minister for housing and construction, was elected to the Balochistan Assembly in the February 18, 2008 elections from Dera the Murad Jamali constituency of district Naseerabad. The incident of the women being buried alive occurred in a remote village, the Baba Kot, 80 kilometers away from Usta Mohammad city of Jafferabad district. It is believed that due to the influence of the minister and his brother the incident was not reported in the media. According to the information received, five women were Ms. Fatima, wife of Umeed Ali Umrani, Jannat Bibi, wife of Qaiser Khan, Fauzia, daughter of Ata Mohammad Umrani, and two other girls, aged between 16 to 18 years. They were at the house of Mr. Chandio at Baba Kot village and to leave for a civil court at Usta Mohammad, district Jafarabad, so that three of the girls could marry the men of their choice. Their decision to have marriage in court was the result of several days of discussions with the elders of the tribe who refused them permission to marry. The names of two younger girls were not ascertained because of strong control of tribal leaders in the area. As the news of their plans leaked out, Mr. Abdul Sattar Umrani, a brother of the minister, came with more than six persons and abducted them at gun points. They were taken in a Land Cruiser jeep, bearing a registration number plate of the Balochistan government, to another remote area, Nau Abadi, in the vicinity of Baba Kot. After reaching the deserted area of Nau Abadi, Abdul Sattar Umrani and his six companions took the three younger women out of the jeep and beat them before allegedly opening fire with their guns. The girls were seriously injured but were still alive at that moment. Sattar Umrani and his accomplices hurled them into a wide ditch and covered them with earth and stones. The two older women were an aunt of Fauzia and the other, the mother of one minor. When they protested and tried to stop the burial of the minors that were plainly alive, the attackers were so angry that they also pushed them into the ditch and buried all alive. After completing the burial, they fired several shots into to the air so that no one would come close. The minors were educated and were studying in classes from 10 to 12. They were punished for trying to decide about their marriages. After one month the police have still not registered the case and it is difficult to get more detailed information. The provincial minister is so powerful that police are reluctant to provide details on the murder. When the AHRC contacted Mr. Sadiq Umrani, provincial minister, he confirmed the incident by saying that only three women had been killed by unknown persons. He denied his or his brother's involvement. He went on to say that the police will not disclose any information about the case as to do so now would be implicate themselves. However, concerned officers of two different police stations have confirmed the incident and explained that no one is providing any information. Also as they could not find the graves of the victims it is difficult to register the case. The victim's family members have since left the place and their whereabouts are unknown. The alleged perpetrator, Mr. Abdul Sattar Umrani, the brother of the provincial minister, was also involved in murder of three persons, including one young woman, in January 2006. That case was similar in that a school teacher, Mr. Mohammad Aslam, was going with his lover in a taxi to a civil court to court marry. The perpetrators stopped them at Manjo Shori, sub district Tumboo, District Naseerabad and killed all three persons by gun fire. The dead included the taxi driver, Mr. Jabal Aidee. The police were unable to institute a murder case for five months until the intervention of Mr. Iftekhar Choudhry, the deposed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and also the deputy speaker of Senate. But only one person was arrested and the perpetrator Abdul Sattar Umrani remained at large. ADDITIONA INFORMATION:Every year in Pakistan hundreds of women, of all ages and in all parts of the country, are reported killed in the name of honour. Many more cases go unreported. Almost all go unpunished. The lives of millions of women in Pakistan are circumscribed by traditions, which enforce extreme seclusion and submission to men many of whom impose their virtually proprietarily control over women with violence. For the most part, women bear the traditional male control over every aspect of their bodies, speech and behaviour with stoicism, as part of their kismat (fate), but exposure to media, the work of women's rights groups and the greater degree of mobility have seen the beginnings of women's rights awareness seep into the secluded world of women. But if women begin to exert these rights, however tentatively, they often face more repression and punishment: the curve of honour killings has increased parallel to the rise in the awareness in rights. State indifference, discriminatory laws and the gender bias of much of the country's police force and judiciary have ensured virtual impunity for perpetuators of honour killings. It is paradoxical that women who enjoy such a poor status in society and have no standing in family should become a focal point of a false and primitive concept of family honour, which they are accepted to uphold at the expense of their inclinations and preference in the matters of marriage. [Honour Killings in Pakistan by Neshay Najam] Originally a Baluch and Pashtun tribal custom, honour killings are founded in the twin concepts of honour and commodity of women. Women are married off for a bride price paid to the father. There is no concept for girls to get marriage on their own choice and if it is found then, they are killed in the name of honour. (Please also refer to LESSON Series 35 May 2004 of Human Rights Correspondence School) SUGGESTED ACTION:Please write letters to the following mentioned authorities demanding to file the case of murder of five women by burial alive by the perpetrators. Please be informed that the AHRC has also written letters to the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions calling for an intervention in this case. To support this appeal, please click here: SAMPLE LETTER:Dear ________, PAKISTAN: Five women buried alive, allegedly by the brother of a ministerNames of victims;1. Ms. Fatima wife of, Umeed Ali Umrani, 45 years old 2. Ms.Jannat Bibi wife of Qaiser Khan, 38 years old 3. Ms.Fauzia daughter of Ata Mohammad Umrani 18 years and two other girls, in between 16 to 18 years of age (All are residents of village Mir Wah, Tehseel Tumboo, District Naseerabad, Balochistan province, Pakistan) Name of alleged perpetrators: Mr. Abdul Sattar Umrani, residing at Usta Mohammad city, Jaffarabad, District, Balochistan province-Pakistan and his six accomplices Place of incident; Village Baba Kot police station, Jafferabad, District, Pakistan I am shocked to know that five women, including three minors, were buried alive in the remote of the Balochistan on the charges of choosing their life partners on their free will and not obeying the tribal tradition in their free choice. It is also of very grave concern for me that still the parallel judicial process is continued in the Pakistan in the name of Jirga which was banned by the higher courts of the country. Due to the powerful persons involvement the police is avoiding to register the case of killing of five women since first week of the July 2008. According to the information that I have received, all five women were at the house of Mr. Chandio at Baba Kot village and to leave for a civil court at Usta Mohammad, district Jafarabad, so that three of the girls could marry the men of their choice. Their decision to have marriage in court was the result of several days of discussions with the elders of the tribe who refused them permission to marry. The names of two younger girls were not ascertained because of strong control of tribal leaders in the area. As the news of their plans leaked out, Mr. Abdul Sattar Umrani, a brother of the minister, came with more than six persons and abducted them at gun points. They were taken in a Land Cruiser jeep, bearing a registration number plate of the Balochistan government, to another remote area, Nau Abadi, in the vicinity of Baba Kot. After reaching the deserted area of Nau Abadi, Abdul Sattar Umrani and his six companions took the three younger women out of the jeep and beat them before allegedly opening fire with their guns. The girls were seriously injured but were still alive at that moment. Sattar Umrani and his accomplices hurled them into a wide ditch and covered them with earth and stones. The two older women were an aunt of Fauzia and the other, the mother of one of the 16 year- old-girls. When they protested and tried to stop the burial of the girls that were plainly alive the attackers were so angry that they also pushed the women into the ditch and buried them alive. After completing the burial they fired several shots into to the air so that no one would come close. The girls were educated and were studying in classes from 10 to 12. They were punished for trying to decide about their marriages. After one and a half months the police have still not registered the case and it is difficult to get more detailed information. The provincial minister is so powerful that police are reluctant to provide details on the murder. When human rights activists contacted Mr. Sadiq Umrani, provincial minister, he confirmed the incident by saying that only three women had been killed by unknown persons. He denied his or his brother's involvement. He went on to say that the police will not disclose any information about the case as to do so now would be implicated themselves. However, concerned officers of two different police stations have confirmed the incident and explained that no one is providing any information. Also as they could not find the graves of the victims it is difficult to register the case. The victim's family members have since left the place and their whereabouts are unknown. It is disturbing for me that anyone could be so inhumanly cruel as to bury someone alive. Whether or not Mr. Sadiq Umrani, is involved it is an established fact that a vehicle of the provincial government was used in the incident and that is why no police officer has dared to file a case against the perpetrators. I request you to please take immediate action in this case and investigate this case as a matter of primary so that those responsible are brought to justice. Yours sincerely, -------------- PLEASE SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:1. General Pervez Musharraf President President's Secretariat Islamabad PAKISTAN Fax: +92 51 922 1422, 4768/ 920 1893 or 1835 E-mail: (please see-> www.presidentofpakistan.gov.pk/WTPresidentMessage.aspx)2. Mr. Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani Prime minister Prime Minister House, Islamabad, PAKISTAN Fax: +92 51 922 1596 Tel: +92 51 920 6111 E-mail: webmaster@infopak.gov.pk 3. Mr. Rehman Malik Advisor for Ministry of Interior Room No. 404, 4th Floor, R Block, Pak Secretariat Islamabad PAKISTAN Fax: +92 51 920 2624 Tel: +92 51 921 2026 E-mail: minister@interior.gov.pk 4. Mr. Farooq Naik Minister of Law, Justice and Human Rights S Block Pakistan Secretariat Islamabad PAKISTAN Fax: +92 51 920 2628 E-mail: minister@molaw.gov.pk or naelaw786@hotmail.com 5. Nawab Aslam Raisani Chief Minister of Balochistan Chief Minister House, Quette, PAKISTAN Fax: +92 81 920 2240 Tel: +92 81 449582 / 440661 E-mail: mirlashkari@yahoo.com 6. Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi Governor of Balochistan Governor House Balochistan, Quetta- Balochistan province, PAKISTAN Fax: +92 81 920 2992. Thank you. Urgent Appeals Programme Asian Human Rights Commission (ua@ahrchk.org) Posted on 2008-08-11 [glow=red,2,300]TAKE ACTION NOW:[/glow] www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2008/2969/
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michelle
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I have broken any attachments I had to the Ascended Masters and their teachings; drains your chi!
Posts: 2,100
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Post by michelle on Aug 17, 2008 19:25:25 GMT 4
...linked to previous post. WOMEN ARE FALLING BEHIND IN PAKISTAN I don't know how old this article is but thought it relevant...expect to see more articles of a discussion type with advice given, organizations for Muslim women, etc., at this thread, and Female topics. I also plan to put up a general thread for ALL women titled, Women's Issues, elsewhere.
If any women read here and are interested, please help me, your Western Sister, help others, by posting here or send me links/info through the PM system here at the forum. By all means, begin some dialogue, if you wish to....I am limited in my understanding of Islam and the culture of your countries.
Yours in Solidarity, MichelleWOMEN ARE FALLING BEHIND IN PAKISTAN By Fariha Razak Haroon
Below you will read what happens to a nation when they do not rule by what Allah has revealed. The sad fact is that Muslims are no better in their actions than those who are not Muslim. If you get upset easily I would advise you not to read this article below. In 1944, Quaid-i-Azam told a gathering at Aligarh University, India: 'No nation can rise to the heart of its glory unless your women are side by side with you. We are victims of evil customs and practices. There is no sanction anywhere for the deplorable condition in which our womenfolk have to live. You should take your women along with you as comrades in every sphere of life.' As we mark International Women's day on 8th March, what we really need is a deep look into our conscience about the disturbing plight of women in our country. The violation of their rights, the discrimination and injustices meted out to them . A United Nations research study found that 50% of the women in Pakistan are physically battered and 90% are mentally and verbally abused by their menfolk. A similar study conducted by the Women's Division in Islamabad confirmed that around 80 % of women in Pakistan are victims of spousal violence. Sitting smugly in their comfortable homes in Lahore, Islamabad or Karachi, middle-class urbanites mostly ignore these appalling figures.
The more sensitive provide verbal sympathy and leave it at that. In Pakistani society where feudal and tribal values are still thriving, women are perceived even by themselves, as second-rate beings. Despite the fact that Pakistan has signed CEDAW (Convention for the Elimination of all kinds of Discrimination against Women), a UN Charter by which Pakistan is bound to bring the laws of the country in conformity with this convention, no implementation has taken place. Noted social worker Abdul Sattar Edhi commented, "our whole system needs to be changed. What can be expected from a nation that has no conscience, no morals left? We lack the ability to seek the truth and show goodwill to others. We have not progressed even one step since independence. What we need is a welfare system like Britain's or Canada's. All the industrialists have rummaged this country on one pretext or the other. Nobody has done anything for the nation. First of all, we must do away with the Hudood ordinance which is very discriminatory against women. As far as the Shariat Bill is concerned, it should not be implemented under any circumstances. The women is this country are already exploited and face much discrimination." Zia Ahmed Awan, President LHRLA (Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid) expressed a similar view on the status of women in Pakistan: "the laws of our country are very discriminatory against women. There is so much of domestic violence that it is unbelievable. Every year we receive over 400 such cases. This is not to be confused with the hundreds of calls for help we get from women. Every woman is not brave enough to take the matter to the court and complain against her husband or parents. Most of the times they are economically dependent on them and cannot come forward." The fact that, culturally, women are seen as possessions of their husbands sanctions different forms of partner-abuse - verbal, emotional and physical. It relegates wife-battering to the private sphere, discouraging the wife both from seeking help and outside intervention. Specific forms of domestic abuse include Karo-Kari, Watta Satta marriages, stove burning, and disfigurement through acid throwing. In certain parts of the interior, the practice of marrying women to the Holy Quran is still prevalent. Trafficking in women is a very important issue where thousands of women are brought from Bangladesh, Burma, India, Nepal, Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia and sold into prostitution through a very organized major network. Shaista, a Bengali, was lured to Pakistan on the pretext of getting her a job so that she could feed her poverty-stricken family. Instead, she was sold to the highest bidder for Rs 80,000. According to her, she went through a nikah ceremony with her so-called husband who used her as a permanent source of income, selling her off to a new man every night. Forced to work all day like a slave, she finally managed to escape. Zahida, an Indian Muslim, was subjected to severe mental and physical torture by her husband, Asif. She took refuge in a Welfare Trust along with her minor child. Asif, after locating her whereabouts, came to get her back. On her refusal he bit off her nose with his teeth and chewed it up. Zahida was admitted to Civil Hospital where her nose is being restructured with the help of plastic surgery. Zubeida from Bahawalpur was totally disfigured when her husband threw acid on her face, only because she walked out on him when she couldn't bear his abuse any more. There is no end to these tragic cases. There is a woman who has been languishing in Larkana jail under the Hudood ordinance for the past eight years with a nine-year old child. The only reason for her being there is accusation of adultery by a suspicious husband. There are thousands of similar cases which no one hears and knows about. Nameless, faceless women who cannot speak for themselves. Bound in chains of oppression and suppression, their stories are more or less the same. Only names and circumstances change. According to Bilquis Edhi, approximately 15-20 women come to Edhi centres everyday seeking help. Over 4,500 girls take refugee in their nine shelter homes annually. In the case of the younger ones, age group 14-24 years, most of them leave home due to their parents' hostile attitude regarding their marrying a man of their own choice. Many are being forced to marry a man they totally dislike. Some take the drastic step of running away due to poverty. They want to study but as the parents do not want to educate them or sometimes cannot afford to do so, they leave. Older women seek help due to problems with husband, domestic violence being a major reason. "Women in our society are in very bad shape," states Bilquis Edhi who has been working for nearly 30 years and has counselled over 90,000 women during that time span. According to a women's rights lawyer, "the mentality of our men is that the wife is treated like property."Since earliest childhood, girls are repeatedly told that their first priority is to get married. In case of divorce, she has no options. A career is no preference but for the male, education and career come uppermost. Even in insurance advertisements, the slogan is 'marriage for daughter and a degree for the son.'Such mentality and thinking permeates all levels. The men's attitude towards women has to change. Unless they learn to respect women and treat them as equals, this nation will not progress. Nuclearisation is not so important as the liberation of our nation from obsolete, archaic tribal and feudal mindsets and rituals. We have no concept of a thing called civilization. Above all, law-enforcement agencies must be properly sensitized and female participation should be introduced in the upper hierarchy also. We need women I.G.s, D.I.G.s, and senior women police officers. Women must play an important role in the judiciary. This role has not been fully developed. Most importantly, the judiciary must also be sensitised. Along with several reasonable laws which are never implemented, we have some very discriminatory laws against women, which were introduced during the martial law era and are used today to chastise and torment women. For instance the Hudood ordinance, which must be repealed. There are thousands of cases where this law has been wrongly used and misinterpreted. Before it became effective, a rape victim could go to the police without any fear of being wrongly implicated herself. But with this law everything has changed. It is misused to such an extent that this palpably unjust and cruel law has become a whip in the hands of men to castigate women with. In the Humaira Abbas, Riffat Afridi and Saima cases, the Hudood Ordinance was wrongly and falsely used. Both Islam and the law allow adult women to marry a partner of their choice. These women were not committing adultery. So why were they subjected to such an ordeal? There is a law of qazaf in the Hudood ordinance where anyone making wrong accusations of zina or character assassination, should be sentenced to 100 lashes. Every day, wrong cases are filed and then acquitted. Why has no one been sentenced to qazaf punishment? The laws must apply equally to everyone. Scores of women are languishing in jails without being produced in the courts. In Larkana jail, the situation of women prisoners is pathetic. Basically illiterate, they have no knowledge of their rights and are not produced in court for months on end. 50% of women do not even have access to a lawyer. What is urgently needed is half-way homes like those in Western countries, where women can take refuge. Despite having thousands of women's organizations in Karachi alone, there are no shelters except Darul-Aman and Edhi Home. Donor organizations have been working on creating awareness for many years. Now that a degree of awareness is there, there is no service for adequate legal aid, counselling or providing shelters. Despite the fact that the women's Division had pledged to inaugurate many Crisis Centres throughout the country, only one Crisis Centre is operating in Islamabad on a small scale. The inauguration of several such centres has taken place, a board is placed at the site, but no facility or service is available. The Federal Minister for Women's Development, Tehmina Daultana, must be held accountable for presenting the Crisis Centres, a year ago, as the panacea for women's myriad problems. She has not delivered and should step down. Instead, her smiling image graces TV all the time. WAR is confronted daily with cases of marital violence and abuse, with pleas for help from women from all classes, age groups, religious and ethic backgrounds. Cases range from emotional and psychological manipulation to threats and verbal abuse, from physical battering to the most frightening of all, marital rape. Usually it is only when the ituation has become so aggravated and the woman has become so desperate that she needs to 'get away from the man', seeking a divorce, that she reaches out for help. A major problem is that under the existing Hudood Laws, marital rape cannot be a criminal offence, as sexual relations are only considered as rape when a man has such relations against the will of a woman to whom he is not validly married. Thus a husband cannot be tried and convicted for offence of zina bil jbr in Pakistan. Among the women who have sought help from WAR: * One was forced to have sex with her husband who was also sexually abusing their daughter. He would give her a choice of either being raped herself or allowing her daughter to be raped. * Rahmat came to Karachi from Bangladesh as she was married to a Pakistani. Her husband was a fisherman and was often away from home for days on end. He was very jealous of his beautiful wife and often beat her, accusing her of having affairs with other men. He stopped giving her money to spend and didn't like her to dress up, even on special occasions or Eid. She was not allowed to meet neighbours or friends or leave the house even for shopping. Once, when her husband returned home after a long stint at sea, he accused her of having an affair in his absence. She was gang-raped by her husband and three of his friends, who locked themselves in a room with her, raped her, gave her over thirty-five wounds and mutilated her private parts with a knife. They left her with the loss of the use of her right hand, the tendons were so badly lacerated. Her children stood outside the door, crying and begging the father to stop as they listened to the horrifying screams. * One woman was scared to ever sleep at night, because her husband would burn her private parts with bleach or chilli or force himself on her while she was trying to sleep, punishing and beating her when she resisted. Most of these atrocities are not reported to the police or in the papers. When they are, the scenario becomes even worse. The SHO, Mariam Qazi of the Women's Police Station, elucidated in a meeting with WAR her methods when confronted by cases of marital violence and abuse. She said that the women's police stations do not like to interfere in ghareloo muslas (domestic issues). She did not even perceive physical violence a crime, and found the idea of 'marital rape' inconceivable. When asked to elaborate on her methods of investigation in such cases, she said: "First I see the woman alone, calm her down, offer her tea and ask her what the problem is. Then I call in the husband and hit him, which is very humiliating for him ... to be hit by a woman. I ask him if he mistreats his wife. He doesn't have the courage to lie to me by then. Usually, it is a lie and they (the husbands) tell me what the real story is. Then I turn to the woman and ask her if he is telling the truth....usually she says yes, he doesn't mistreat me, I was lying ...they (the woman) are usually after some money or something like that. You women's organizations don't realize that women are often very chalak also". According to the penal law, if some one hurts another, no matter who it is, father, brother, husband, son, or whatever, it is not a family matter. It is a penal offence. It should be reported and dealt with according to the law, but this law, too, is not being implemented. Another very alarming issue is where the police are themselves involved in the case. A seven-year-old girl In Lyari was raped by a neighbour who was a policeman. When the parents went to lodge a FIR in the area Thana, the police on duty, instead of sympathizing, started abusing them and threatening to implicate them in false cases if they reported the matter. When the police are themselves the culprits, where does one go for help? WAR and WAF have sent numerous female abuse cases to CPLC. According to Sharfuddin Memon, Deputy Chief, CPLC, "in a conservative society like ours, where females are not encouraged to openly interact with the opposite sex, young girls sneak behind their parents' back and form liaisons with young men. Later, when things do not work out and the girl wants to get out of the relationship, obscene calls are made to them, photographs and video films are used to blackmail the girl and her family. Numerous wife-battering and physical-abuse cases are also reported, where the husband wants to throw the wife out of the house and forcibly keep the kids. Rashida Patel, President PAWLA, voiced that "despite the fact that there are many more professional women working outside the homes now, the attitude towards women has really slid down the ladder. The legal status of women is very poor. The Zina ordinance has resulted not only in loss of respectability which women suffer, but has also encouraged men to look down on them." Women's rights activists insist that a total change of the system is needed. Women are key players in national progress. The time has come for us to acknowledge this fact and give women their due status in society. Source:www.themodernreligion.com/women/w_pak.htm
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michelle
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I have broken any attachments I had to the Ascended Masters and their teachings; drains your chi!
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Post by michelle on Aug 23, 2008 1:34:33 GMT 4
Throwing Down the Gauntlet: Violence against women in Pakistan
Attention middle/upper class and moderate citizens of Pakistan![/b]
Why is this going on in your country?.....You're reasonable modern people.....What are you going to do about violence toward women in your society? They need you. Don't turn a blind eye to this; it hurts you too.....It hurts me.....We are ALL one; what affects one affects the whole of humanity.Next post; I'll look for some agencies you can support/donate to; but I find so little info on this subject....Heck, why don't you volunteer at a shelter, or man a hotline...My sister did that right from her home, answering calls from distressed women. You know what help is available in your country...Or do you?
I challenge all you comfortable people to DO SOMETHING! Michelle PS: Some extremely graphic photos here which will shake your soul.[/color]
Behind the veil: Violence against women in Pakistan From: gingerkat08 Joined: 10 months ago Videos: 2 Added: October 22, 2007 An insight of the abuse still occuring today towards women in Pakistan.
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michelle
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I have broken any attachments I had to the Ascended Masters and their teachings; drains your chi!
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Post by michelle on Aug 30, 2008 19:14:36 GMT 4
Burying of women alive defended in SenateGoing back to news from this post,Re: Pitiable Plight of Pakistani Women« Reply #1 on Aug 14, 2008, 3:04am » PAKISTAN: Five women buried alive, allegedly by the brother of a minister airdance.proboards50.com/index.cgi?board=muslim&action=display&thread=122&page=1#3036I will once again present the latest articles and more for your consideration. There's not much being reported on this; so it's up to you to get the information circulated and get to writing letters of protest....If not, who else will speak for these dead women? Who else can push for change in your society but you, the individual?
Ayn Rand once wrote: "A culture that values freedom, progress, reason and science, for instance, is good; one that values oppression, stagnation, mysticism, and ignorance is not."
Cultural relativism inevitably drags moral relativism in it's wake. If what is wrong for one part of society can somehow be right for another, then what is wrong for one generation can justifiably be right for the next. If you continue to find yourselves compelled in the spirit of religion to accommodate and appease these 'noble savages,' then you are endorsing the notion of the cultural or moral equivalence of an anachronistic Islamic society.
Extremists taking lives of human beings at whim is alarming, but even more disturbing is the fact that the government seems unable and sometimes unwilling to stop them. It is beyond belief that the Government is not investigating this blatant violation of human life, but leaving it up to provincial levels whose members defend the crime! The state can certainly do something better than abandoning its citizens to live in areas controlled by Balochistan moral police.
Because of lack of previous action, the state must immediately demonstrate that it has both the ability and willingness to ensure that extremists do not have the audacity to deny the citizens basic freedom and rights, including the right to life.
Sincerely, MichelleBurying of women alive defended in Senate August 30, 2008 By Ahmed Hassan ISLAMABAD, Aug 29: Balochistan Senator Sardar Israrullah Zehri stunned the upper house on Friday when he defended the recent incident of burying alive three teenage girls and two women in his province, saying it was part of “our tribal custom.” Senator Bibi Yasmin Shah of the PML-Q raised the issue citing a newspaper report that the girls, three of them aged between 16 and 18 years, had been buried alive a month ago for wishing to marry of their own will. The barbaric incident took place in a remote village of Jafarabad district and a PPP minister and some other influential people were reported to have been involved. The report accused the provincial government of trying to hush up the issue.Ms Shah said that the hapless girls and the women were first shot in the name of honour and then buried while they were alive. She also said that no criminal had been arrested so far. Acting Chairman of Senate Jan Mohammad Jamali, who was presiding over the session, said: “Yasmin Shah should go to our society and see for herself what the situation is like there and then come back to raise such questions in the house.” Maulana Ghafoor Haideri of the JUI-F said there was no tradition of burying women alive in Baloch society because it was against Islam’s teachings.
Jamal Leghari of PML-Q emphatically stated that there was no custom of burying people alive, adding that the Baloch people did not believe in it.Senator Jan Jamali commented: “This is a provincial matter and it is being investigated at the provincial level and let us wait for the report of the investigation.” Leader of the Opposition Kamil Ali Agha accused the Balochistan government of ignoring the incident and said no jirga could order the burying of women alive and no law allowed anyone to commit such a crime and go unpunished. He urged the government to punish the people involved in it.Leader of the House Mian Raza Rabbani said: “We condemn the heinous act and assure the house that a complete report on the incident would be submitted on Monday.” Source: www.dawn.com/2008/08/30/top4.htm------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Senator defends honour-killingBy KHALID AZIZ submitted 15 hours 21 minutes ago The Nation ISLAMABAD- A Baloch tribal lord caught the upper house by surprise here on Friday when he came forward defending the honour killing of five women in Balochistan saying ‘these are our norms which should not be highlighted negatively’.Baloch Senator Israr Ullah Zehri while aggressively interrupting Senator Bibi Yasmin Shah, who condemned the brutal act of burying alive five women in Balochistan on charges of ‘love marriage’, said it was part of their traditions, which, he said, should not be negatively highlighted.
Senator Bibi Yasmin Shah, however, continued and alleged that the government was not taking action against the culprits because of the involvement, as she said, of a PPP provincial minister in the incident. She demanded of the government to take strict action against the tribal elders involved in what she termed as a serious crime against humanity.Jan Muhammad Jamali, Deputy Chairman Senate said that he could not comment over the issue as Baloch traditions did not allow him to comment over an incident occurred in another tribe. However, while addressing Bibi Yasmin Shah, Jamali said that raising voice over the like issues was easy in Islamabad but it was much difficult in Balochistan to argue over the same.Moreover, as a rare example in the Upper House of the Parliament, where emotional speeches and exchange of harsh words between the treasury and opposition benches is common over routine issues, only Senators Kamil Ali Agha, Abdul Ghafoor Haidri and Jamal Leghari supported Bibi Yasmin Shah while rest of the House kept mum or indifferent.Leader of the Opposition, Senator Kamil Ali Agha said that no one could be allowed to practice such brutal traditions in presence of constitution and courts in the country. Senator Abdul Ghafoor Haidri said that Islam allowed no one to commit such brutality in any capacity. Jamal Leghari termed the incident against the traditions and norms of Baloch people and demanded exemplary action against those involved in the heinous crime. However, to calm down sentiments of the opposition senators, Leader of the House, Senator Raza Rabbani said that though the matter was a provincial subject, he would file detailed report in the House on Monday after asking the Balochistan government to furnish the same. CLIP Source:www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Politics/30-Aug-2008/Senator-defends-honourkilling------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The author of this post makes a strong statement at the end. This post also highlights the lip-service given to and the distracting of the issue tactics using: "Let's bring up another subject; this one's too hot to discuss...we might have to actually do something about it." ***see below*** By the way, the article is opened with a photo of 3 Pakistani women whose faces were destroyed by acid....By the number of cases reported, this also appears to be another 'custom' that you have no right to interfere with....MPakistani Senator — “Burying Women Alive” An Honourable Tradition August 29th, 2008 5:40 pm The abuse of women in the Islamic world is well known but no where it does it approach the level found in Pakistan. The above women had their faces burnt with acid or kerosene oil. Often the assailant is a spouse or a family member, sometimes a jilted male. Generally they involve some perceived slight of honour. The number of annual cases in Pakistan (and to a lesser extent in Afghanistan) runs over 3,000. Smile Again www.depilexsmileagain.com/index.htm is a non-profit based in Lahore dedicated to help female survivors of acid and kerosene oil burns in Pakistan by providing them essential first-aid treatment, appropriate medical attention and reconstructive surgery, psychological/ psychiatric support, shelter and vocational training as well as to create social awareness and sensitivity, working towards the complete eradication of this heinous crime.But in Pakistan women are not just disfigured over “honour,” they can be killed. Stoning women alive is not uncommon nor burying them alive. But it is rare to have the practice defended by members of the Pakistani government. From Pakistan’s Daily Times: www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008/08/30/story_30-8-2008_pg1_10The killing of women for honour is a demand of the tribal traditions, Balochistan Senator Israrullah Zehri informed the Senate on Friday.
Zehri was responding to Senator Yasmeen Shah’s statement in which she had drawn the House’s attention towards reports that five women had been buried alive in Balochistan in the name of honour. She called it a sheer violation of human rights.
Zehri asked the members not to politicise the issue, as it was a matter of safeguarding the tribal traditions.
Leader of the Opposition in Senate Kamil Ali Agha condemned the killing of women in the name of honour and demanded the issue should be referred to the Human Rights Standing Committee of the House.***Here's the Senate diverting attention away from the issue***Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid Senator Nisar Memon drew the attention of the Senate to a research article written by Michael Chossugovsky published in “Global Research of Canada”. He said that the article warns how some foreign elements were planning economic, political and military disruptions to declare Pakistan a failed state.
Memon said the article stated how certain foreign powers were first planning to create chaos in the country through economic crisis followed by an unprecedented price-hike, and an eventual intervention of the International Monetary Fund in the economic affairs of the country.
“The ultimate objective of all these conspiracy theories is a territorial break-up and dismemberment of the country,” Memon warned.
A disintegration of the country on racial and linguistic lines would be another tool against the country, followed by a military disruption similar to that of Yugoslavia, Memon feared.
Senate Chairman Jan Muhammad Jamali said that it was a serious matter and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani should brief the House on national security and territorial and strategic threats faced by the nation.
Leader of the House Raza Rabbani said the government would not allow anyone to harm the integrity of Pakistan. A state that allows this sort of systematic violence towards women is a failed state.Source: www.bythefault.com/2008/08/29/pakistani-senator-burying-women-alive-an-honourable-tradition/------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Teeth Maestro is one site I found, urging good people to take action on this matter. He suggests the following:ACTION ALERTSign the AHRC’s Letter of Appeals condemning the Murder of the five women Spread the word by email and facebook about this concerning issue Vehemently Condemn the Senator, for issuing such a statement, as this tradition of killing women is inhumane by any understanding and should not be supported or even justified by a government official specially in the Senate You can read it at:www.teeth.com.pk/blog/2008/08/30/bnp-senator-justifies-burying-women-aliveYou can forward/print the article above in Urdu for those who do not read or write in English here:www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/story/2008/08/080829_baloch_women_senator.shtml From the comments section of Teeth Maestro regarding info on Mir Israr Ullah Zehri: The retard Senator belongs to BNP……not PPP, and i expect Awab will correct the heading for sake of truth.
Here is his profile:Mir Israr Ullah Zehri (Baluchistan):www.senate.gov.pk/images/Members/Is…lah%20Zehri.JPGParty: BNP (Awami) Home phone: 051-9207477 Address: 302-E Parliament lodges, Islamabad Committee member: He is member of 4 standing committee … one of them is: Standing committee … Planning and development and population welfare (Seems he has nice thoughts for this committee)Comment by Teeth Maestro on August 30, 2008 @ 2:21 pm @silence: Thank you for the error - it stands corrected & the permalink changed to show the altered name
Details of the senator from the Senate websiteMir Israr Ullah Zehri Party Affiliation: BNP (Awami) Home Phone: 051-9207477 Province: Baluchistan Address: 302-E, Parliament Lodges, Islamabad. Committee(s): Standing Committee on Planning and Development and Population Welfare Standing Committee on Interior Standing Committee on Ports and Shipping Standing Committee on Narcotics Control Tenure = March 2006 to March 2012 www.teeth.com.pk/blog/2008/08/30/bnp-senator-justifies-burying-women-alive------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Here is the name and contact info of the Human Rights Commission Pakistan, Balochistan chapter:Balochistan chapterMr. Farid Ahmed Office NO. 5, 3rd Floor, Baldia Shopping Complex, Meezan Chowk, Quetta Tel : (081) 2827869 Fax: (081) 2820117 E-mail:hrcpquetta1@hotmail.com More names/contact info at:www.hrcp-web.org/contact.cfm------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ And finally, here's an lecture I found...If you read anywhere else here at the FH Forum, you will know that I am a strong advocate for the separation of church and state here in the US. Perhaps, it is time to seriously reconsider whether democracy can exist under the cloak of Islamic ideology. The following deals with Women's Rights in Islam....Perspective From Pakistan:Application of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to women in an Islamic contextOctober 30, 2007 Most of the literature written in defense of allegations made against Islam and the shariah and Quranic injunction, in specific, is agonizingly apologetic. Hardly does one encounter arguments of true intellectual worth, one that can be proudly debated within the academia and give Islam, as one of the major religious doctrines of the world, its due place. Islam and women, in particular, has always been a contentious issue within academia and debates continue to date amongst prominent Muslim feminists (such as Abu Lughod, Moughessi, Merinissi, Al Sadawi amongst others) whether it is meaningful to speak of an Islamic feminism within Muslim societies. The different but equal assertions sits at the heart of this debate and what makes any argument or meaningful dialogue within this sphere redundant and futile is the unbending reality that divine law is static- the Book has been revealed- the injunctions are absolute and final. It has therefore been an obdurate challenge for women across Muslim societies be it Tunisia, Algeria, Pakistan, Iran or Egypt (Kandiyoti provides an interesting study of Women, Islam and the State) to formulate feminist discourses and launch a movement for their cause when there is no apparent leverage for change within the divine scriptures. An argument that apologists oft expound is that discrimination or atrocities committed against women is not a result of Islam but specific cultural practices. They fail to acknowledge that religion is an important feature and function of culture- culture as a way of life is formulated along ethical moral philosophies held by a certain people and peoples responses are conditioned and informed by their code of life. Therefore, there exists an inherent, indeed an intrinsic link between religion and culture. Hence to assert that patriarchy is the bane of female existence and not Islam is an inane assertion (given that the two are inextricably bound together). A popular condemnation against the West takes form as ‘their deficient knowledge of the Quran and the traditions of the Prophet (PBUH) , that Islam supports values and structures that are incompatible with the principles of human rights’. (Asad) It is interesting (or rather disappointing) to note that there exists no definition of the female as an independent entity in her own right within the Islamic doctrine. The Quran does not speak of her as a being as her own individual but always in the role ascribed to her i.e. the mother and the wife. This reduces the female to her reproductive capacities only and her function in life is determined solely and exclusively by this biological reality. Furthermore it is note worthy that although the male has a crucial role in reproduction (without his contribution there could be no process of life or birth) yet he is not circumscribed by his role as progenitor- he is not reduced to a mere semen ejaculating being but a being in his own right who lives life in totality, eats, drinks, conducts business and commerce, interacts with other beings and communities, contacts marriage, and fights wars. The woman conversely is viewed only as a womb, her functions delineated (and that goes for all Abrahamic religious doctrines as well) as giving birth and building a home. Any divine directives given to her are regarding the safekeeping and safeguarding of her husbands property (physical assets- and herself included by predators). Thus, given such a status accorded to women by divine laws, the Universal Declaration of Man or any other such universal conception of human rights advocating for life, liberty and property, is inapplicable to women. The concept of ‘pursuit of happiness’ in the declaration is further problematized along with the notion of liberty given that Islam means submission to God. Dalacoura also points out that in Islam: “The idea that human beings have rights qua human bengs is absent, in explicit form, from the Quran and the Shariah. Only God has rights not people.Only God has absolute freedom, human freedom is consisting in the complete surrender to divine will.” (Dalacoura 43) If surrender to divine will forms the crux of the Muslim faith, then any kind of maneuverings within Islamic laws, such the family law ordinances, to offer a greater degree of autonomy to women, automatically takes the form of blasphemy and is therefore shunned and physically (and often violently) repressed. The divine laws blatantly favor men and thus they act as a major pressure group under the banner of Islam to safeguard their interests when their hegemony is threatened and invariably succeed by quoting innumerable Quranic verses and Hadith in their defense.(Zia’s Chaddar and Chaar diwari-confining women to the veil and the home- comes to mind as one such action taken in the 1980s that has severe social and subsequently economic ramifications for urban professional Pakistani women). Consequently there can be no real female emancipation within the rubric of Islam given that it invariably perpetuates a system of social institutions that marks values of honour and purity on women’s bodies and restricts their autonomy by holding them as the guardians of cherished family and community values. These social forces define some key contradictions inherent in our society: honour and shame, purity and pollution, virtue and temptation, chastity and permissiveness, domination and submissiveness, order and chaos (the popularly held chauvinistic notion-supported by Hadith-that giving power to a woman will only lead to chaos; a hadith that was strongly advocated when Benazir Bhutto came to power in the 1990s) It is all well and meaningful to indulge in scathing acerbic critiques of Western Liberal Human Rights agendas, as Naim does, but we must not be so myopic as to blindly overlook the failings of our own ideologies. The fact that religion restricts female autonomy in various political and social ways is a reality that the women in Pakistan have to face and to achieve any substantial reform for this crucial segment of society, the state has to shed of its Islamic cloak. Social Sciences Major, 2008
Lahore University of Management SciencesSource:hrfrompakistan.wordpress.com/category/discussions/womens-rights-in-islam/
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michelle
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I have broken any attachments I had to the Ascended Masters and their teachings; drains your chi!
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Post by michelle on Aug 31, 2008 13:00:31 GMT 4
...linked to previous post: Dark 'traditions' Sunday, August 31, 2008 The defence put up in the Senate of an incident in which five women, including three teenage girls who wished to marry by choice, were buried alive in Balochistan is appalling. The older women, shot and then buried with them, were presumably mothers or relatives who had sought mercy for the girls. A senator from the province, who should surely know better, defended the barbaric act as 'tribal custom'. Still more shockingly, the acting chairman of the Senate lashed out against the woman senator from the PML-Q who had raised the issue, advising her, rather sarcastically, to go and see the situation in Balochistan herself before raising such matters in the House. A voice or two was raised against the practice, with another Baloch senator insisting it was not a traditional practice and such events did not routinely take place in his province. But this does not take away the fact that political representatives from Balochistan made an effort to justify the incident. The event took place almost a month ago in a remote village near Jaffarabad. What is extraordinary is that the matter has not been raised before more vocally. The senator who brought it up deserves credit; she has been quite unjustly attacked by others in the Upper House. It has been reported the PPP-led government in Balochistan tried to cover up the atrocity. This too of course signals a deeply flawed pattern of thinking. Surely the government should be seeking the murderers, who first used guns to ensure their victims were injured and could not escape, and then covered them with earth muffling forever their screams of terror are punished and exposed, not protected through some dark conspiracy of silence. The fact the act was 'kept quiet' in fact means the government sympathizes with such doings. Not just in Balochistan, but elsewhere across the country too, a distorted belief seems to exist that 'traditions' are invariably good and need to be protected. We have seen such thinking used to defend practices that include 'honour killing', vani, swara, the marriage of small children, the beheading of people on orders of illegal 'jirgas'. Other equally barbaric customs too are carried out from time to time, in many cases, despite laws which bar them. There is an urgent need for greater recognition of the fact that 'tradition' is not invariably good. All too often it has been used to oppress the most vulnerable. Women are the most frequent victims. While preserving what is good about our heritage is important, it is equally important to discard what is bad. This after all is what progress is all about. It is due to development, education, greater enlightenment, that much of the world has changed, broken with its past when the need to do so arises. This is why Chinese women, in a society as deeply traditional as our own, no longer have their feet bound at birth but can instead stride confidently into workplaces and educational institutions alongside men. The practice of tying up feet to keep women immobile, able only to shuffle feebly along in slippers in a manner that was thought to enhance their worth as docile wives and daughters, has been prevented by law, education and the active effort made over the decades to do away with evil elements of China's past while keeping intact the good. Traditions that inflict suffering and death on hapless victims in particular need to be done away with here too. There can be no excuse for living on in darkness. It is deeply saddening that political leaders find it so arduous to understand this reality. It is due to the views we heard expressed in the Senate that we still live in a society where human beings can be buried alive while representatives of people argue this is acceptable. It is true Balochistan has suffered over the decades from a lack of development. The federal government has a lot to answer for in this regard. But it is the province's leaders who must too play a part in guiding it towards a brighter future, not shoving it backwards and making an attempt to defend practices that are quite obviously indefensible. Source:thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=132920
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