SHANGLA: A number of religious leaders in Lower Kohistan have warned women against working for NGOs, advising locals that if “you come across a woman with an unrelated colleague, you should persuade the two to marry each other”.

A group of local ulema, led by Maulana Karimdad, held a meeting at a police station in Pattan on Saturday and said police should help them “enforce our decision” to bar women NGO workers from entering the district. “If any NGO woman is seen anywhere in Lower Kohistan, people are requested to ‘expel’ her if she is married and if unmarried, arrange her marriage with a fellow worker,” the maulana said.

“We cannot accept un-Islamic activities in Kohistan. These NGO women disrespect our customs and act as a bad influence upon locals,” Karimdad said in a telephonic conversation with Dawn.

“If they comply with Sharia, we will protect them, but won’t tolerate them in our territory if they flout our traditions.

“NGO women should voluntarily leave Kohistan. Otherwise, we shall expel them or get them married to their colleagues.”

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2023