Gang Rapes in Pakistan
by Shah N. Khan
"It is little wonder that rape is one of the least-reported crimes.
Perhaps it is the only crime in which the victim becomes the accused and,
in reality, it is she who must prove her good reputation, her mental soundness,
and her impeccable propriety." This quote is attributed to Freda Adler
(b. 1934), U.S. educator but it is true all over the world and not US alone.
It is difficult to get reliable figures but number of rapes in Pakistan
is comparatively much lower than many countries. But the incidence of gang
rapes and their ratio to total rapes appears to be the highest in the world
excluding Africa. During the period 1998-2002 gang rapes came to almost
54% of total rapes.
Years Total Rapes Gang Rapes
1998 671
370
1999 590
302
2000 560
290
2001 364
200
2002 787
434
------ ----- ------- --------
Total 2972
1596
Whereas it is probable that a large number of rape cases are not reported
or not registered even if reported due to inefficiency and corruption in
Police, it is not easy to hide gang rape which mostly occur in remote villages
among poor and ignorant tribal people out of feuds and revenge. Moreover
the real object of such heinous acts is inflicting public humiliation and
often the consequences are not realized in the heat of anger.
To the ordinary simple illiterate villagers in tribal areas, the chastity
of their women is dearer than their own lives. And the wicked and perverted
individuals among them think that worst kind of humiliation that can be
inflicted upon their enemy is to outrage the modesty of his daughter, sister
or wife or even mother right before his eyes. But according to Islamic
traditions recognized by many of the 72 sects of Muslims such rape is punishable
by death by stoning. The punishment of death by stoning is, however, not
prescribed in Holy Quran and is becoming obsolete in most of the
Islamic countries and the murderous rapists are usually hanged and in Saudia
beheaded.
US Invites Mukhtaran Mai And Denies Visa To Justice Javed
Iqbal
In June 2002, feudal lords of the Mastoi tribes accused Mukhtaran's
younger brother of adultery with one of Mastoi girls. The Panchayat ordered
to avenge the crime by raping the sister of the accused. They ignored the
pleas of Mukhtaran's poor ailing father, a lower-caste Gujar. In front
of his eyes four Mastoi men dragged the sobbing woman into a shed to beat
and raped her before forcing her to walk home naked.
The saner elements of the village moved the press and the police to
arrest the offenders. The chief minister of Punjab and President Musharraf
took serious notice of the case. Six men -- four rapists and two members
of the Punchyat -- were sentenced to death by hanging by a special
anti-terrorism court., Eight other defendants were acquitted for lack of
evidence. But the case is dragging on as appeals have been filed. Due to
lack of proper evidence the High court ordered release of convicts.
The Government agreed to file appeal with the Supreme coutt as there was
an uproar all over Pakistan over the unjust treatment meted to Mukhtar
Mai under the influence of powerful feudal lords. President Pervez
Musharraf ordered help and assistance to Mukhtaran in her fight to
bring the rapists to justice. She was awarded RS. 500,000 Human rights
and Women's association and politicians and journalists assured her support.
Her courage was applauded by the nation in her attempts to expose those
elements who were trying to silence her so that the persons behind her
kidnapping and rape may escape punishment under the law of Pakistan.
Mukhtaran's case received wide coverage in theWestern Media and an organization
of Pakistani Americans sent her messages of support and financial aid to
help her establish a school in her village. But many anti-Pakistan journalist
s in the West as well as India have distorted and exaggerated accounts
of the case are being reported. Hundreds of such rape cases occur every
dai in India and other countries and few are splashed over the media in
this manner. President Musharraf is being blamed and entire legal system
of Pakistan as well as Islamic laws are being ridiculed by attributing
the Punchayat verdict as the example of Islamic law. .
It is apprehended that Mukhtar Mai is being exploited by certain journalists
and NGOs who are collecting donations to support her mission and allegedly
making money Large donations are coming from US and some elements
wants to use her to demonize Pakistan society and to plant their agents
in her organization.
The enemies of Islam have succeeded to put pressure on US Government
to invite Mukhtaran to US so that she may be lured into speaking against
Islamic values or create embarrasing situation for the government of Pakistan.
The intent is obvious. Propaganda against Islam and Pakistan. On the other
hand the visa for Justice Dr. Javed Iqbal and his wife has not been issued.
Such discrimination is likely to increase hatred against US in Islamic
world.
The reasons for not issuing visa to Justice Javed Iqbal are not known
but it appears that Justice Iqbal's visit to US during the period of the
visit of Mukhataran may attract the attention of fair minded media in US
and if he talks about the real merit of Islamic and Pakistani laws their
lies and distortion about Mukhtaran's case would be exposed.
Indian army Jawans in occupied Kashmir have been killing innocent Kashmiris
and raping their women and burning their homes for decades but the corrupt
Western media keeps mum over that.
PAKISTAN - FACTS ON PROSTITUTION
Prostitution is totally banned in Pakistan but underground dens operate
all over the country in towns and cities whereas in villages feudal lord
maintain concubines in the disguise of domestic servants or farm workers.
Many girls are abducted from villages or poor communities and forced to
engage in flesh trade, as is the case all over the world.But exaggerated
accounts appear on Internet for instance here is piece from one site. The
accounts reported by Indian sources appear to be exaggerated.
There have been 1 million Bangladeshi and more than 200,000 Burmese
women trafficked to Karachi, Pakistan. (Indrani Sinha, SANLAAP India, "Paper
on Globalization & Human Rights")
A Bengali or Burmese woman could be sold in Pakistan for US$1,500 -
2,500 - depending on age, looks, docility and virginity. For each child
or woman sold, the police claim a 15 to 20 percent "commission." ("Rights-South
Asia: Slavery Still A Thriving Trade," IPS, 29 December 1997)
200,000 Bangladeshi women have been trafficked to Pakistan for the slave
trade and prostitution. (Trafficking in Women and Children: The Cases of
Bangladesh, p.8, UBINIG, 1995)
200,000 Bangladeshi women were trafficked to Pakistan in the last ten
years, continuing at the rate of 200-400 women monthly.
(CATW - Asia Pacific, Trafficking in Women and Prostitution in the Asia
Pacific)
In Pakistan, where most of trafficked Bengali women are sold there are
about 1,500 Bengali women in jail and about 200,000 women and children
sold into in the slave trade. (estimates by Human Rights organizations
in Pakistan, Trafficking in Women and Children: The Cases of Bangladesh,
p.14, UBINIG, 1995)
There are over 200,000 undocumented Bangladeshi women in Pakistan, including
some 2,000 in jails and shelters. Bangladeshis comprise 80 percent, and
Burmese 14 percent, of Karachi’s undocumented immigrants. (Zia Ahmed Awan,
affiliate with Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid, Sindh police report
in 1993, "Rights-South Asia: Slavery Still A Thriving Trade," IPS, 29 December
1997)
Auctions of girls are arranged for three kinds of buyers : rich visiting
Arabs (sheiks, businessmen, visitors, state-financed medical and university
students), the rich local gentry, and rural farmers. (CATW - Asia Pacific
"Trafficking in Women and Prostitution in the Asia Pacific" (19)
Bangladeshi and Burmese women are being kidnapped, married off to agents
by unsuspecting parents, trafficked under false pretenses, or enticed by
prospects of a better life, into brothels in Pakistan. Border police and
other law enforcement agencies are well aware of the trafficking through
entry points into Pakistan like Lahore, Kasur, Bahawalpur, Chhor and Badin.
(Sindh police report in 1993, "Rights-South Asia: Slavery Still A Thriving
Trade," IPS, 29 December 1997)
Nepalese and Bangladeshi woman and girls are trafficked under false
pretenses, such as jobs, then are forced into prostitution in brothels
in Pakistan. (CATW - Asia Pacific, Trafficking in Women and Prostitution
in the Asia Pacific)
A rise in trafficking of girls, aged 8-15, in Pakistan has occurred
during this last decade. (CATW - Asia Pacific, Trafficking in Women and
Prostitution in the Asia Pacific)
A Pakistani woman was threatened with contempt of the Supreme Court
if she did not allow her ex-husband to have sex with her. Conjugal rights
were reinstated to her ex-husband, although she has since remarried. If
she refuses to allow her ex-husband to have sex with her she will be punished
according to the law. (Anwar Iqbal, "Wife faces contempt in sex case,"
United Press International, 9 May 1998) The Comfort Women : Japan's Brutal
Regime of Enforced Prostitution in the Second World War
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