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CHINIOT: A girl was allegedly kidnapped, forcibly married twice before being gang-raped and stripped naked in revenge for her brother's act.
Sanaullah, 22, son of Noor Muhammad of Mawar Bhattian, had allegedly eloped with the daughter of Mallah of the same village after the families refused to marry them.
The girl's family called Panchayat which decreed that Sanaullah's sister would have to marry Zahid Ali, brother of the girl who had eloped with Sana.
After the decision of Panchayat, accomplices of Zahid kidnapped Sana's sister from her house, held Nikah with her and divorced her after five days. Later, Zahid and his family gave her in the Nikah of Zahid's cousin Noor Ahmad. Some days later, four members of Zahid's family gang-raped her and subjected her to torture.
They stripped her naked, tied her with a tree in the village and called her parents to get their daughter back in return for their girl. The family got her back a month after her alleged kidnapping.
The girl approached the magistrate at tehsil Lalian who ordered her medical examination and registration of case.
Chiniot DPO Munir Zia confirmed a Panchayat had forced the victim to marry Zahid to avenge the act of her brother in February but neither she nor did her family approach the police for registering a case.
The girl submitted an application to the police on Monday and an FIR of kidnap and rape had been registered with Mohammadwala police station. — Correspondent
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On DawnNews
Comments (74) Closed
Mar 18, 2014 09:16am
What kind of justice is this that panchiyat is dispensing in such cases ? They have no right to force anybody to marry against his or her wishes. Are we living in modern enlightened society or in the dark ages ?
We must either reform the village Panchiyat system or dissolve it. We have two evils in our system , one is this village justice system , and the second is the legislative body , the CII ( Council of Islamic Ideology ) .Get rid of these organizations for the sake of streamlining the justice system.
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Mar 18, 2014 09:26am
scores of such incidents have taken place in the past but sadly no one has been punished. The culprits will remain unpunished in this case too. Our police will will try its best to weaken the case as it happens in all such cases.
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Mar 18, 2014 10:02am
What's odd is that news reports about incidents which have plagued this part of the world for long are suddenly reported in droves. This incident comes at the heels of a girl's suicide in front of a police station and before this, the Thar situation was examined to the minutest detail by every channel and newspaper. Neither topic is new, but consequences of poor administration and lack of requisite systems. Famine in Thar is a consequence of poor planning in an area with naturally harsh climate and the blame is spread across Pakistan's history. Suppression/abuse of women is a hideous colour in this country's social fabric where the man's "ghairut" is awakened the moment his sister goes out on a date just after helping him (the brother) sneak back into the house after he has had a rendezvous with his girl friend. These are issues are not new but structural.
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Mar 18, 2014 10:13am
What is our country turning into like omg .. maybe the govt should start negotiations with the panchayat members aswell
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Mar 18, 2014 10:17am
Deeply saddened with this news, what kind of a society we live in? It's all happening in Pakistan, can't belive it.
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Mar 18, 2014 10:18am
Again I would say, what's going on in Punjab? Such cases are repeated every day CM Punjab says, "Metro bus service going in profits".
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Mar 18, 2014 10:27am
Enlightened moderation indeed. The world has never seen such modern people.
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Mar 18, 2014 10:38am
Does any GOOD News ever come out of Pakistan? It is getting worst by the day. the closing of Schools,Colleges & lack of attention towards education is the Root cause.
I thought the vast increase in the number of Madressahs was going to help but instead the people from Madressahs are commiting more crimes.
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Mar 18, 2014 10:55am
Shameful conduct.
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Mar 18, 2014 10:57am
Now where are our religious scholars now?? Height of barbarism, no words to explain this incident .... Totally shocked !!!
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Mar 18, 2014 11:25am
Where judiciary either does not exist, is corrupt and public cannot get justice alternative systems evolve. However the panchiyat is centuries old judicial system in this part of the world just like jirga in KP. We have computers, i pads, aeroplanes, industries, motoeways and we call our self developing nation. If we cannot replace centuries old judicial system, cannot provide justice how can we call ourself developing? Panchiyat is there to stay so are Jirgas, unfortunately. This is a slap in the face of judiciary more than anything.
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Mar 18, 2014 11:25am
Compulsory military education..... we need to reform our society and the only way is to first instill discipline and clarity of thought... which only one institute can provide...
Second, bring back public lashing of the whole panchiyats who are giving such verdicts.. through out the country...
Take police and civil security institutes out of the fold of civilian control to Military institutes like the Motorway policing authorities... Implement these from grass root levels.. and with an iron fist..... Obviously like many educated Pakistanis I have a lot more respect for our military institutions...
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Mar 18, 2014 11:29am
Why solution to the problems have to be found like this. Decisions of the Panchayats are not always right. There is a room to introspect and find out a way to resolve such issues in a different and better manner. What was the fault of the sister of the boy who got subjected to such a inhuman treatment. Her whole life is ruined. It seems height of barbaric behavior. I hope the victim girl will find enough courage to face the life.
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Mar 18, 2014 11:34am
Dark ages. Uneducated and ignorant people taking law into their own hands. A travesty of justice. Where is the writ of the state?
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Mar 18, 2014 11:37am
My point regarding these cases is as simple as of a common man of the street. CM punjab always remain in hurry and do not follow the procedure to cure the system. Though his work and commitment for the province cannot be ruled out, yet he needs to listen to common people more than his advisors to give he best results. This case should be inquired with the recommendations for legislation. Such cases will be repeated by panchayats time and again, till the time you wont set some example. Moreover for the sake of humanity, one must annoy his voters and help the victims.
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Mar 18, 2014 11:48am
Good show Punjab Govt.. No justice for no victim.
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Mar 18, 2014 12:06pm
The fish stinks from head.
Decide on your own who should be the head here. These so called Panchiyat system are clearly the signs of illiteracy and ignorance.
What if the Brother never had a sister? Who would then be on the line??
We are the most primitive society in current days civilization.
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Mar 18, 2014 12:09pm
This type of incidents really disturb the mind. What is happening here in Pakistan. Ratio of these things go higher and higher. Does any government have no power to stop them??
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Mar 18, 2014 12:11pm
This country can only be run through iron fist, by people such as Putin, Musharraf otherwise corruption is embedded in our veins.
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Mar 18, 2014 12:19pm
There is no provision for a Panchayat System in our constitution. The law makers are to be blamed for not legislating on this issue. Any person or group forming themselves into a Panchayat with the objective of meting out justice should be treated as criminals and subjected to the harshest treatment - no bail - mandatory sentence!! As far as as our law enforcers are concerned - they are totally corrupt and inefficient. Education and training to create a responsible well equipped and competent law enforcement body is critical.
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Mar 18, 2014 12:27pm
Panchayat's should be outlawed, and anyone found approaching a panchayat for recourse, or taking part in a panchayat, should be thrown in jail. Deterrence through severe punishment is the key to stopping this horrid system.
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Mar 18, 2014 12:28pm
Forced marriage is not recognized under Islam, so anyone that had sexual relations with this girl should be tried and jailed for rape.
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Mar 18, 2014 12:29pm
I just want to shout and cry in grieve what a lawlessness shame shame shame for the whole nation. Justice must be delivered as soon as possible.
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Mar 18, 2014 12:53pm
@Nauman:
those so called taliban loving, hate provoking mullahs will endorse every bit of it, those scholars themselves have little respect for women..Imagine the religion where woman stature is so respectable that even prophet stood up in respect of his daughter. how much respect these taliban supporters give to women?? is this really islam they are following??
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Mar 18, 2014 01:07pm
Challenge for courts and police system. Punish the culprits irrespective of their political affiliation and set an example for future.
Were there any announcements from mosques asking people to come on roads and protest against this incident? If not, was it not an insult of the teachings of Quran ?
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Mar 18, 2014 01:19pm
when is this country going to get rid of panchayat system ...
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Mar 18, 2014 01:27pm
The biggest problem is the parallel courts
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Mar 18, 2014 01:52pm
Both judicial and governance has failed in our country. Only tall claims to fool us (majority who votes them) prevails. A day before what took place with Hindu baradari and other minorities speaks louder than the voice. Fighting between different Muslims sects also speaks volumes
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Mar 18, 2014 02:29pm
@Oscar Mild: Such cases were probably happening all along but never reported. We have to thank a freer press for revealing them, sad as they are. In Zia-ul-Haq's time, I didn't expect PTV to report such news. I don't expect PTV to report it even today.
Our society is morally bankrupt and corrupt hiding behind a thin veneer of religious passion, that is fooling no one. We need to stand up, acknowledge the problems and then work on fixing them.
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Mar 18, 2014 02:46pm
These panchayats should be declared illegal. We have had enough of them and it is about time Pakistan marches into 19th century (yes, 19th and not 21st century). Stop this nonsense and let us not allow the illiterates of our country to become judges of these punchayats. Enough is enough. How long are we going to use our women as if they were cattle.
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Mar 18, 2014 02:51pm
Slowly but surely Pakistan is going back to the stone age. Majority of similar cases are reported from the rural areas of Punjab and Sindh where punchayats perform the duties of courts and no body can dare challenge them. Our legislators are also involved in the punchayats and as such the PM/CM can not interfere for fear of losing seats.
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Mar 18, 2014 03:50pm
The Panchayat system needs to be abolished, period. These sudo-judicial courts are comprised of mainly older and ultra conservative people who are perceived to be "wise" but have no sense of wisdom whatsoever. The problem is that most of the politicians have feudal background and see a value in the Panchayat system and that is why these systems still exist today. Unless, more and more educated people start to appear on the political scene, this nonsense will go on forever, which seems like the case for now.
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Mar 18, 2014 04:12pm
where is CII now? What happened to sharia now?
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Mar 18, 2014 04:17pm
Why these people behaving like medieval barbarians? Do they fear Allah?, Wake up
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Mar 18, 2014 06:22pm
I just find it absolutely hard to believe that this is happening in a 'Muslim' country, dominated by mullahs. Why don't mullahs stand up against such crimes of the worst nature? Where is our 'Chief Justice'? Where are the Sharifs? Where is Nisar?
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Mar 18, 2014 06:25pm
what is this??? is it important to noise it & shout it news,its only shameful ,act by illiterate peoples,why media go to increase the problems or become a source of embarrassment for girls family,media have to play positive role not a negative ,to showing image of Pakistan to all around the world ,not more favorite this types of news think about it.....
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Mar 18, 2014 06:35pm
The Land of the Pure is going to the dogs. Let's see how the CM Sharif and the Police higher-ups handle this case. It's also going to be a litmus test for our higher judiciary.
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Mar 18, 2014 06:56pm
Intolerance consumes the possessor of this horrible trait. Whether it's community, country or an Individual. Pakistan as a nation needs to wean itself away from this trait of intolerance that they thought they were only directing away, but by its very nature, it has returned to haunt Pakistan itself. What happened to this poor Girl is the manifestation of same intolerance which has poisoned the whole Pakistani society I guess.
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Mar 18, 2014 06:59pm
This brings nothing but shame and disgust to Pakistan. Everyday scores of women get abused and tortured in rural Pakistan. Looks like they have their own law and order and so called Government is unable to interfere. On the other hand Justice Department can issue arrest warrant for Meera and her husband but totally ignore the plight of tens of thousands of women. Despicable and Heinous culture and barbaric human emotions can only be found in that part of the world.
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Mar 18, 2014 06:59pm
We do need public executions. Several a day will perhaps remove some evils.
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Mar 18, 2014 07:09pm
@Mohammad Ali:
Whole heartedly agree with you.
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Mar 18, 2014 07:10pm
@Imran Khan:
Get out of your "provincialism rat hole". Why can't you just refer to this as an incident in Pakistan. Why does it have to be a Punjabi or a Sindhi or a Balochi or a Pakhtun matter?
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Mar 18, 2014 07:19pm
This system will only prevail as i have been watching since my childhood.No one has changed and no one can can change it for next multiple centuries.It is our temperament and it is our liking.We are ultra allergic to the name of sex.We can not become be-ghairat.Bring in the harshest laws you would like.I am living to see the change.
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Mar 18, 2014 07:24pm
@Mohammad Ali: Aoa, I totally agree with you brother, May Allah bring justice and just rulers to our beloved country. This stupidity of Jirgahs and Panchayats are nothing but a sheer act of ignorance and corruption. Islam teaches love, peace, respect and harmony, whereas these so called self-claimed jurists have no clue what humanity is never mind the religion. Those animals in our country who are killing/rapping/kidnapping innocent people should be severely punished in public along with these idiot jurists.
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Mar 18, 2014 07:32pm
Mit jaygee makhlooq to insaaf karogay?
Munsif ho? to hashar uthaa kyoon naheen dey tey.
Our judges can issue a Suo Moto if a restaurant doesn't put enough milk in their tea but gross violation of human dignity such as this doesn't bother them.
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Mar 18, 2014 07:38pm
@Fiz:
whats CII have to do with this? are they running Pakistan? are they in govt? or do you think panchayat and CII are the same?
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Mar 18, 2014 07:55pm
Horrible! May Allah guide these people. And if they are not to be guided then may Allah's wrath fall on them soon.
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Mar 18, 2014 08:03pm
Each member of such panchaiyat along with people who married the girl should be publicly flogged until they die. This is the only way these illiterate monsters would learn lesson. This should be implemented as a law - so that it can be enforced across the country on any panchaiyat when such incidents happen.
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Mar 18, 2014 08:04pm
the panchayat members should be arrested and punished along with the culprits. how can you force a girl to marry like this? its barbaric.
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Mar 18, 2014 08:06pm
the government needs to pass a law, now that all Panchayats throughout the country must have at least 50% women on the panchayat. This is the only way to stop this type of sexual repression by the males. When women have a voice, this type of abuse will stop.
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Mar 18, 2014 08:08pm
May Allah give the most severe punishment in this life and the hereafter to the culprits & also to the members of the Panchayat committee.
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Mar 18, 2014 08:14pm
@mansoor:
Jirgas is another way of saying assembly. It operates under the impression that everyone within the circle has an equal voice and status regardless of gender or age and come together to form a consensus. In the old days it was used to broker peace treaties and to decide the building of a project or decide compensation. The panchyat in punjab and fasilo in sindh are very similar wherein the appointed arbiter decides on a decision based on whim and fancy in line with their own cultural leanings. Don't equate the Jirga and its misuse to the panchyat. Both are nothing alike.
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Mar 18, 2014 08:27pm
Till such acts of grave inhumanity are not punished to the utmost level allowed in accordance with the law, they will keep on happening. Very sad. Governance at it worst!
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Mar 18, 2014 08:37pm
@Javaid Bashir:
very true.
pakistan is living in stone age. Get rid all of these Panchayat and Mullahs. Spread higher education.
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Mar 18, 2014 08:57pm
@Saad:
When our esteemed religious scholars says" Women shouldn't report rape'. Then what you expect these criminals know they will not be punished. This will continue unless women are given equal rights and not treated like commodities.
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Mar 18, 2014 09:11pm
Why go to war with the Taliban? We need to go to war with the dirty animals that perpetrated this terrible crime. Wake up people.
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Mar 18, 2014 09:12pm
This is absolutely pathetic. If Pakistan yearns to be considered a world equal, this sort of barbarism has to be stopped. Every member of that Panchayat should be brought to swift and brutal justice. The same that would be accorded to the rapists and family.
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Mar 18, 2014 09:26pm
Where are the people who are always crying for Islamic law and attacking vulnerable minorities, when man-made feudal barbarity such as this is happening? This contradicts the very basis of Islam and even humanity.
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Mar 18, 2014 10:57pm
This is not only an issue of crime and barbarity but also of human rights and justice in Islam. Ironically, none of the Islamic parties and religious right has uttered a single word condemning this and other similar acts. Same goes to Council on Islamic Ideology (CII), that recently gives its opinion on polygamy, to declare these panchayets un-Islamic. Islam give a man and a woman right to marry. A woman must have a guardian but if he does not safeguard her rights and has own plans, she can change him.
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Mar 18, 2014 11:25pm
Rana Sanaullah (Law minister Punjab) should shave his moustache off now.
I am serious, if our society is that conservative and barbaric, then the Law minister of Punjab should also get the tribal treatment and shave his moustache off, we should all demand Rana Sanaullah to shave off his moustache he does deserve to keep one.
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Mar 18, 2014 11:56pm
@abdul baseer:
Well bro, ain't they the custodian of sharia in this land of pure? They are quick enough to recommend child marriages as legal but don't say anything about this panchyat system or jirga system let alone recommend disbandment of such prehistoric system.
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Mar 19, 2014 06:33am
What twisted logic rationalizes punishing a girl for the actions of her brother? Unless eloping is illegal in Pakistan, the couple who eloped committed no crime. If a crime was committed, then it is the couple who should be punished, not innocent family members. It is my understanding of Islam, that a woman's consent is required for marriage. How then could kidnappers force Sana's sister to marry without such consent?
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Mar 19, 2014 03:38pm
Our district courts are even worse than panchayat. A halfway house is thanedar ki kachehri attended by zamindars.
Until the State can supply universally applied speedy justice cheaply all this tearing of hair and lamenting are an exercise in futility. Our Supreme and High Courts have to address this issue with co-operation from legislatures. We need high calibre trial magistrates protected from wuklagardi and immune to pressure. We need bar councils cleansed of thugs. We need Police officers who obey the law and not their political masters. We need deterrent punishments to lawyers, police, defendants and plaintiffs who commit perjury. Finally, we need friendly and incorruptible officers of court.
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Mar 19, 2014 05:31pm
I have no words to express my sadness. However, if you let Rana Sanaullah comment on that he will give a totally different story possibly making the girl for responsible for her gang rape.
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Mar 19, 2014 07:49pm
Go on Dawn i dare youn to post this..
Today i am ashamed to be called a muslim & Pakistani.....If this is what Islam stands for in Pakistan then we were better off staying with India and i bet The Quaid is turning in his grave!!
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Mar 19, 2014 11:50pm
I am afraid,where our country is going :O It seems to be the second least secure country for women now...
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Mar 20, 2014 01:56am
Islamic Republic Of Pakistan, Zindabaad.
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Mar 20, 2014 02:00am
@Najmul Islam :
For your information, we are living in the Islamic Republic Of Pakistan.
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Mar 20, 2014 08:47am
Panchayat, like Sutee, Thuggee, Caste system, are leftover from India, and have no place in modern Pakisan.
And neither is this 2
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Mar 20, 2014 09:41am
Put all the members of Panchayat in jail. They are like animals. Shame on our rulers.
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Mar 20, 2014 06:35pm
Rape is a world wide issue. What makes it so unique in Pakistan is the fact that the rural societies give a tacit approval.
You have to ask, the rapists is this case were family members of the eloped boy, implying that the rest of the family must have know what these rabid dogs were going to do. Here is the tacit approval.
Even the ruling elites accept rape as a norm because many of them are guilty of it as well.
It is a very sick society that says "we are the best" while floating in the gutter of ignorance, poverty, injustice, lawlessness, corruption and the list goes on. So rape crimes are not going to be a major issue.
What about the young boys who are raped by their teachers in schools and madrassas. What about the married Imam of a mosque who raped a boy and then killed him and led his funeral prayer.
Crimes will happen but in Pakistan there is no punishment for crimes.
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Mar 21, 2014 03:09am
What can you expect - when there is no accountability and people are allowed to practice their cultural traditions dating back centuries? Pakistan should enforce one law all over the country with no exceptions. By allowing groups to have their own justice system, these atrocities are bound to happen. Hard to believe in the 21st century, we are still reading these kind of stories.
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Mar 21, 2014 07:40am
I find it beyond sickening that some of you can comment on politics and government yet non of you care about the girl who this happened too. Remember, this is someone's daughter, someone's sister NOT just a news story.
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Mar 21, 2014 07:14pm
@Muhammed Ali:
You can still be a proud Pakistani and a proud Muslim - because most of Pakistanis and Muslims condemn this kind of behavior. It is only a few sick individuals and instead of giving up on our religion and country - we should try to eliminate those who bring shame - and my gut tells me good fortune for our country is coming. We just have to stay focused and do whatever is in our power to stop these atrocities.
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