Pakistan votes to amend rape laws

by Marie Stopes Tue Sep 11, 2007 14:23

Yet another case of misogyny, yet more women muredered.

Suspected Islamic militants in north-western Pakistan have beheaded two women they accused of being prostitutes, police say. The bodies of the two women were found by villagers on the outskirts of the city of Bannu. A note found on the bodies accused the women of "acts of obscenity", a term that usually refers to prostitution.

The region is a known base for militants who want to impose their interpretation of Islamic law.

Police said the women were travelling in a three-wheeled vehicle when masked and armed men overpowered them and bundled them into a car.

by Marie Stopes Tue Jun 05, 2007 16:04

A woman and three men were shot dead in a public execution in a Pakistani village after tribal elders found them guilty of adultery, officials said. The death sentences were ordered by a jirga (council) of elders in the Khyber agency area on the Afghan border.

by Marie Stopes Sat May 12, 2007 12:30

Women in Pakistan are at increased risk of contracting HIV because of socioeconomic and biological factors, Minister of Health Muhammad Nasir Khan said recently at a workshop at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad, Pakistan, The International News reports. Nasir said gender disparities in literacy, education, economic empowerment and control of resources also are fueling the spread of the disease among women in the country. According to Nasir, men are seen as the "decision-makers" in Pakistani society, and women, particularly those in rural areas, depend on men for access to outside information, The News reports.

by Marie Stopes Wed Mar 21, 2007 11:58

A court in Pakistan has sentenced to death a man who killed a female provincial minister, apparently because he was opposed to women in politics. Mohammad Sarwar was convicted of shooting dead Punjab social welfare minister Zill-e-Huma last month.

Ms Huma was shot in the head in front of party workers as she was about to make a speech at her office in the town of Gujranwala, 70km north of Lahore.

Ms Huma died after being shot in the head.

by Marie Stopes Thu Feb 08, 2007 11:45

They don't look like murderers - but the two frail-looking, lower-caste brothers in the village of Khatan in eastern Pakistan are self-confessed killers.

Mohammad Aslam and Maqbool Ahmad admit killing their sister Elahisen and a neighbour, Ghulam Nabi Shah, when they found them together in Elahisen's room on the night of 27 January. They smashed their skulls with a brick and then strangled them with a rope. Then they gave themselves up to the police saying they had redeemed their family honour.

According to official figures, more than 2,700 women and about 1,300 men have been killed in honour-related offences in Pakistan since 2001.

The brothers themselves are oozing confidence and dignity even in fetters and handcuffs. "We have done no wrong and the law will not treat us unkindly," says Mohammad Aslam.

Legal experts believe the brothers may be right.

"They have confessed to the murders before the police, but they are not so dumb as to repeat that confession before the judge," says the Bahawalnagar district police chief, Zafar Abbas Bukhari.

You can get the rest of the story at the url below.

by Marie Stopes Fri Dec 15, 2006 13:01

Pakistan's Supreme Court has blocked a fresh attempt to enact a Taleban-style law to enforce Islamic morality in North West Frontier Province (NWFP). The court instructed the provincial governor not to sign the bill, which is oppsed by President Pervez Musharraf.

North West Frontier Province, which is governed by an alliance of religious parties sympathetic to the Taleban, passed the legislation last month.

by Marie Stopes Tue Dec 05, 2006 17:33

Pakistan's recent vote in favour of the Women's Protection Bill, which allows rape cases to be tried under the civil penal code rather than under Sharia law, is a valuable step towards facilitating the empowerment of all women - the third Millennium Development Goal, states an Editorial in The Lancet.

Every two hours, a woman is raped in Pakistan, with a quarter of assaults being perpetrated by gangs. This statistic, from the Human Rights Commission, is likely to be an underestimate because the country's laws have deterred women from reporting such crimes. Rape cases have been dealt with in Sharia courts, where a woman's evidence is not admissible. For a conviction of rape the perpetrator must either confess, or four men must testify to eye-witness accounts. However, on November 15, Pakistan's parliament voted in favour of the Women's Protection Bill. This means that judicial decisions on rape cases will now be based on forensic and circumstantial evidence.

by Wimmim Fri Nov 17, 2006 14:55

Hear, Hear. Christian Misogony is subtler but most definitely present.

We are Adam's Rib- even if Adam is a stupid meglomaniac, masturbating bully
who skims cash off to future his political fantasy.

Even all the dead Popes asserted that. we are acquiescent and womb -ready.

We know we are not- but as long as the infallibility of the virgin pyramid remains - that is
the supposition. That is why we need to be 'defended and protected'. we are the excuse
for war and the victims of war.
fuck that....

Women can wear veils they have the right- just not because some guy says so, but
because they want to. And some young Irish Moslem women who are highly educated
about the Koran do so and let them

I think I will to.....

by Emma Fri Nov 17, 2006 14:45

I think this argument is being taken out of context - rape is a very sensitive issue and yes of course the law in Pakistan is droconian and against women's rights but maybe it's a step in the right direction just because a bill is voted in favour of does not mean it will be enforced.

The argument regarding the hijab women if they are in Pakistan, Ireland, France or wherever if you are forced to where the Hijab it is wrong but if it is your chose then no government has the right to tell you not to wear it - its suppose to be freedom of expression and even from talking among lefties I have come to understand that a lot of people are quite ignorant towards Islam and again Islam is a religion not a race - think about the catholic church personally I think that as a religion is more strict and against women's rights more so then Islam.

by wimmin Fri Nov 17, 2006 12:57

One on the catwalk and one in hospital (heart failure- complications of ANA)

Subjugagting the female body into acceptable mores and standarised shapes- the joy of
globalised nazism. as to scarlett and jodie, i personally have seen enough titilaating tits
and open beaks to last a lifetime.

but hey- the consumer god speaks- whats the diff?

The oppression of muslim women is overt- the oppression of christian- women-
westernised women is subtle and based in all sorts of wonderful little societal controls.

As long as Nicole Kidman (pretty blonde, ex-redhead goes about saying 'terrorism is awful'
George Dubya will be getting his phallic tools out to protect her and 'release the women of
I-raq from Oppression)
Yes Dubya siad that after years and years and years of supporting sanctions and terrorism.

Wars are carried out so Jodie can show us her mammaries and Nicole can sleep safe
from the bearded one.

Two beautiful South American women died keeping the paces with the Nicoles and the
Scarletts, but you don't see the blood on their hands, just the red claw nail polish, the
wedding veils and the consumersit driven mentality that makes them the objects of
the wargames.

WE buy the shit and some guys even have masturabory fantasies about laying the scarletts and Nicoles- bless

by muftahman Fri Nov 17, 2006 12:25

I don't agree with Muslim practices toward women but I can't change them because it is up to Muslims themselves to change them

Indeed it is but at the same time such practices can will and should be open to debate by ALL, after all Muslims are not shy in attacking christen leaders sometimes even calling for their deaths over ludicrous things then cry foul and outrage when people point out glaringly obvious holes in their arguements and indeed values, the recent pope furore was the perfect example, muslim so called **religious leaders** calling for the pope to be killed

some faith they must have, advocating murder as the solution to their religon being insulted, the insult was of course that their founder spread religon by the sword if anybody objected they were put to death, funny how the same threats origionate from the religon again i.e this is outragoues, Solution: Kill the pope!!

Muslims need to realise that their religon is open to CRITICISM the same as any other religon is,once they realise this they may not be RIDICULED as much

by Ralph Wiggum Fri Nov 17, 2006 12:10

Suppose some firebrand Mullah in Pakistan decides he will issue a fatwa against Scarlett Johanson for not wearing the veil or calls for the death of Jodie Marsh because she flashes her breasts in a glossy magazine?
Are we supposed to obey him for fear of arousing Muslim anger?

by Declan Wed Nov 15, 2006 18:46

Pakistan is one of the global centres of Islamic militancy.
Western interference will simply make the problem worse.
The tensions in Britain and France and other European countries between Muslims and secular society is due to the insensitivity Westerners have traditionally had to Muslims.

The Pakistani women activists who have campaigned for women's rights in Pakistan were very brave but if Westerners give them support thoughtlessly they will arouse needless Muslim anger and militants in Muslim communities will seize on this Western influence as evidence of "imperialism" and that Westerners are at war with their religion and their culture.

Look at the damage that democratic elections have done to Iraq and Afghanistan.
They have merely ignited Muslims anger and handed generations of young Muslim men throughout the Middle East region into the arms of Sunni and Shia Muslim terrorist groups who not only attack the Western "infidel" occupiers but also plan to launch attacks against Western "infidels" like you and me who do not support Bush and Blair but want to see reform in the Middle East.

Now is not the time to be needlessly stoking up Muslim anger.

by Topper Wed Nov 15, 2006 18:43

Declan, assuming you actually mean what you say (your posts are so OTT they might well be a piss take), you might care to ask yourself - are the women who are raped, then prosecuted for adultery, Muslims? When they decide that having been violently raped, they shouldn't be sent to prison for adultery, are they disrespecting their own cultural traditions? Are the Pakistani political activists who campaigned for this change all self-hating Muslims? Why should we allow hateful bigots to define what Islam is - why not listen to progressive Muslims and support them?

Or to put it another way - are you completely nuts?

by pat c Wed Nov 15, 2006 18:26

What have my postings got to do with the list you publish above? Are Irish citizens in Pakistan going to be attacked because I reported that the Pakistan Parliament passed legislation despite the opposition of Islamic Parties? Get a grip.

You may not be a misogynist but then why do you wish to have this information hidden? What about the Pakistani Womens activist, do you think she is an Islamophobe?

by Declan Wed Nov 15, 2006 18:21

The Islamophobic cartoons published by Danish newspapers, the comments of Pope Benedict, the film produced by Theo Van Gogh, the comments of Jack Straw concerning veils, the movie United 93 and the blaming of Muslims in the wake of 9/11, the stereotyping of Muslims as suicide bombers who bomb and rocket Israelis, the assassination of Islamic moderates such as Shiek Yassin etc etc. have led to the radicalisation of Muslims.
Publishing dangerous insults as you have in your article about Muslim culture and traditions will further radicalise them.
I don't agree with Muslim practices toward women but I can't change them because it is up to Muslims themselves to change them.
Besides the idea that Western concepts are universal is something that a neo-conservative such as Bush would dream up.
Stoking up Muslim anger will just invite hatred against Western values.

What if Muslims get wind of what Irish commentators are saying about Islam?

Do we want Irish embassies and Irish citizens attacked and killed or to see the tricolor burned in the streets of Karachi?

I think are some nuance and maturity is needed in your comments and articles.

by pat c Wed Nov 15, 2006 18:10

Yes, 60% Of Women Prisoners in Pakistan are imprisoned under Islamic "Laws". Thats the reality of life for women in Pakistan. More at the link.

Uzma Saeed is campaigning for the repeal of the controversial Hudood laws, which rule that all extra-marital sex is illegal.

"Hudood laws are a tool in the hands of men - with these laws they can rape women and be totally unaccountable.

Under Hudood if a woman makes a rape allegation she must provide four pious male witnesses or face a charge of adultery herself.

So a woman is in the ridiculous position of having to produce four Muslim adult male eyewitnesses, men who just stood there and watched.

If sex by force is not proved, this woman can be charged with "zina" - sex outside of marriage. "

Uzma Saeed believes the Hudood ordinances should be repealed. About 60% of women in our jails have been imprisoned as a result of Hudood laws.

by pat c Wed Nov 15, 2006 17:54

"Negative stereotyping of Muslims is what Bush and Blair do.
Indymedia should not be a place for racial prejudice."

What negative stereotyping? I pointed out that Islamists were opposed to reforming the rape laws. This is factual news reporting. In any case, Islam is a religion so it could not be racial prejudice.

Religion is not Race.

"A society like Ireland where girls as young as 13 or 14 become single mothers or where most professional women still receive less pay than men is hardly more progressive than Pakistan"

In Ireland women do not have to wear the veil. They do not have to produce four male witnesses top prove their innocence if they are raped. I suggest you read the full article before spouting nonsense.

by Declan Wed Nov 15, 2006 17:49

Negative stereotyping of Muslims is what Bush and Blair do.
Indymedia should not be a place for racial prejudice.

A society like Ireland where girls as young as 13 or 14 become single mothers or where most professional women still receive less pay than men is hardly more progressive than Pakistan.