Insecure Women Of Pakistan
“Woman is a mother, a sister and a daughter, I will respect and protect her”. Muslims
men used to think like this, but not any more. In fact they decided not to respect women
at all. Muslim women are unsafe all around the world, even in my so-called Pak (pure)
country, Pakistan.
“Mukhtaran bibi”, a 30-year-old female of the ‘Gujjar tribe’ of the village ‘Meerwala’ in
the district of Muzaffargarh of Punjab province, is one of the victims of my country. On
June 22, 2002, a tribal council of elders punished her to being gang raped in penalty
for her younger brother's alleged, prohibited affair, with a girl from another tribe, the
‘Mastoi’ who were considered superior in the tribal class. The trial by jirga (a council of
tribal elders, to deal with the alleged affairs) took place, in the presence of several
hundred local residents; none of who took any action to halt the rape. Mukhtaran Bibi
later said that she was crying for help and begging for mercy to all those present there
but no one dared to object to the council's decree. The gang rape was carried out by
four men, including one member of the tribal council in a near by hut, while members of
the Mastoi tribe reportedly stood outside and applauded. After the rape, the victim was
reportedly made to walk nude through the streets of her village before hundreds of
onlookers. Some police officers were apparently aware of what was going to happen,
but they didn't take any action to protect the victim, in fact they allowed the jirga and
the gang rape to proceed.
After the incident her relatives were excessively afraid of Mastoi tribe that no complaint
was filed. The abuses would have been ignored if a local cleric had not mentioned the
case in the sermon of Jumu'ah prayer (Friday prayers is preceded by a sermon,
Khutba), and a journalist picked up the news.
In Pakistan every year 1,000 women are killed in the name of "honor". Hundreds of
women are raped, but only a fraction of the cases are reported. Even law can’t protect
women.
The speed with which the jirga system is expanding makes the need for
strengthening the justice system all the more pressing'', The State of Human
Rights in 2001, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 2002.
In early August 1996, a young man in ‘Loghran’ district of Punjab, tried to rape an eight-
year-old girl but let go of her when she shouted. But the council didn't’t drop the
subject decided that the young girl's father, Mohammad Ramazan, had the right to
rape the assaulter's mother. The older woman was handed over to Mohammad
Ramazan to carry out the orders of unjust Jirga. A case was registered against the six
council members and the rapist but according to reports, they were so powerful and
influential that they were not charged or arrested.
Tribal men believe that a woman is precious to the social esteem and standing of a
man and his family in society. If their honor is harmed by sexual misdemeanor in which
woman has nothing to do, and not only sexual misconduct of a woman but every act
perceived as disobedience of a woman to her male relatives, husbands, fathers,
brothers and sons, have to take certain socially prescribed steps to restore their
honor. This usually involves direct killing of the woman. If a woman freely chooses her
marriage partner or seeks a divorce, it’s also considered against men’s ego. The law
can’t ensure the women’s physical safety, and even can’t secure her right to have a
say in her marriage or divorce.
In March 1999, 16-year-old mentally disabled girl, Lal Jamilla Mandokhe was
repeatedly raped by a junior clerk in Parachinar, North West Frontier Province. The girl’
s uncle filed a complaint about the incident. Police arrested the accused but turned
over the girl to her tribe, knowingly putting the girl’s life in danger. A jirga of Pashtun
tribesmen decided that she had brought shame on her tribe and its honor could only
be restored by her death. She was shot dead in front of the tribal gathering. When
tribesmen demanded that the rapist be handed over to them so they could execute him
too, the police protected him. It is to be noted that the rapist male was thought worthy
of police protection, not the victim of the crime, because she was a female.
Publicist of the tribal justice system stated that tribal courts reach decisions very
quickly, with even complicated cases, which should be decided in days with justice.
To take the law into one’s own hands and ignore the role of the official judiciary is
widespread in Pakistan and not restricted to the tribal justice system.
According to a Gallup Pakistan survey in July 2000, 67% of respondents said that
society did not functioned according to the rules of justice and 75% said that law-
breakers mostly got away impudently unpunished.
Many courageous women are raising their voice, by writing about it and carrying out
rallies. But law and order can’t guarantee their security. Many women, who want to
speak up for their privileges and defense, are afraid to do so because they feel
undefended.
If their own country can’t assure their security so who will?
