— ExpressIndia and Agencies report: “A Hindu girl from Punjab province was kidnapped and forced to convert to Islam and is currently being held in a madrassa, leading Pakistani rights activist Ansar Burney said today.”
— “Burney said his rights organisation, the Ansar Burney Trust International, had learnt that 15-year-old Gajri, the daughter of Mengha Ram, was abducted by a Muslim neighbour from her home at Katchi Mandi, Liaquatpur, in Rahim Yar Khan district on December 21, 2009.”
— “Gajri’s parents later found out that she was beingheld captive in a madrassa or seminary in southern Punjab and that she had been married and converted to Islam, Burney said.”
— “The local administration is ‘refusing to respond to the abduction’ of the girl, who is not being allowed to leave the madrassa or to speak to her parents, he said.”
Pakistan Dawn: “An intolerant nation”
— Dawn: “We are reaping the harvest of the seeds of hatred sown in the seventies and eighties. Pakistan is becoming an increasingly intolerant nation where religious and sectarian minorities live in fear and are awarded little or no protection by the state.”
— “Difference is unacceptable to the obscurantists who want everyone to toe their line. And if that takes intimidation, torture or even murder, then so be it, for no option is unavailable to the self-righteous who believe that they alone have seen the light.”
— “This mindset is not limited to the Taliban who kill in the name of religion. There is no shortage in Pakistan of sectarian and other militant outfits that feel justified in murdering Shias, Christians and Ahmadis — or indeed anyone who doesn’t share their views.”
R.E.A.L. summarizes reports on a new proposed domestic violence bill in Pakistan, opposition to it, and reports on domestic violence in Pakistan. In August 2009, a similar bill was reportedly “passed” by the Pakistan National Assembly, but was rejected due to inaction by the Pakistan Senate and the rest of the Pakistan government by December 2009. In January 2010, the U.S. government announced plans for $7.5 billion in aid for Pakistan.
— April 8, 2010: AP reports: “Pakistan edges closer to banning domestic violence” — after acid attack on her face, destroying her left eye, wife Zakia Perveen said “I just thought it was my destiny, my fate.”
— “Rights advocates hope a proposed law banning domestic violence will chip away at such attitudes, giving women a more even playing field and bringing Pakistan in line with a growing number of developing nations that have outlawed spousal abuse.”
— “But Islamist lawmakers in Parliament are objecting, claiming the law could tear apart the social fabric by undermining families.”
— “In 2008, there were at least 7,571 incidents of acid attacks, rapes, spousal beatings and other violence against women, according to The Aurat Foundation, a women’s rights group. Because the group relied mostly on media reports, the figure is likely a vast undercount.”
— “Other surveys have shown up to 80 percent of wives in rural parts of Pakistan fear physical violence from their husbands, while 50 percent of women in urban areas admit their husbands beat them, according to a 2009 U.S. State Department report on Pakistan.”
Pakistan: Abused Wife Zakia Perveen - who was attacked with acid in her face by her husband - losing her left eye (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)
“The number of cases of violence in different categories of offenses and their province-wise breakdown is as follows. There were:
— 1384 cases of murder:
(752 in Punjab; 288 in Sindh; 266 in NWFP; 39 in Balochistan; 39 in Islamabad);
— 604 cases of honor killing:
(245 in Punjab; 284in Sindh; 14 in NWFP; 59 in Balochistan; 2 in Islamabad);
— 1987 cases of abduction/kidnapping:
(1698 in Punjab; 160 in Sindh; 64 in NWFP; 13 in Balochistan; 52 in Islamabad);
— 608 cases of domestic violence:
(271 in Punjab; 134 in Sindh; 163 in NWFP; 22 in Balochistan; 18 in Islamabad);
— 683 cases of suicide:
( 448 in Punjab; 176 in Sindh; 43 in NWFP; 10 in Balochistan; 6 in Islamabad);
— 928 cases of rape/gang-rape:
(786 in Punjab; 122 in Sindh; 7 in NWFP; 4 in Balochistan; 9 in Islamabad);
— 274 cases of sexual assault:
(227 in Punjab; 44 in Sindh; 0 in NWFP; 2 in Balochistan; 1 in Islamabad);
— 50 cases of stove burning:
(33 in Punjab; 10 in Sindh; 4 in NWFP; 1 in Balochistan; 2 in Islamabad);
— 53 cases of acid throwing:
(42 in Punjab; 9 in Sindh; 1 in NWFP; 0 in Balochistan; 1 in Islamabad);
— 1977 cases of violence were of miscellaneous nature (vanni/swara, custodial violence, torture, trafficking, child marriages, incest, threat to violence, sexual harassment, attempted murder, suicide & rape) in the four provinces and Islamabad.”
A year ago, similar media reports stated efforts were in progress on a new domestic violence law in Pakistan. In August 2009, Dawn reported that a “private bill” on domestic violence had passed in the Pakistan National Assembly, which required approval by the Pakistan Senate. The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) in Pakistan has previously warned that a law against domestic violence will “push up divorce rates,” according to Dawn. But by December 25, 2009, ANI reported “the [Pakistan] Government has seemingly lost sight of it.” On December 25, 2009, ANI reported: “when the bill was sent to the Senate, Mohammad Khan Sheerani, of the JUI-F, raised some objections, leading to a deferment of hearing, and then the Government slept on the matter and now the bill has lapsed… to make it a law the Government was required to get the bill passed through the upper house within 90 days of its receipt.”
— In another report by Shirin Sadeghi, Pakistan group Women Protection Project’s Dr. Khola Iram states “When you talk about domestic violence in Pakistan, some men in the educated classes, for instance, say that women are not the ones who are dying, it’s the police officers, they are all males… They don’t consider citizen security as security of women also.”
— Shirin Sadeghi reports “Dr. Iram is subdued as she explains that Pakistan, a nation of over 90 million women and girls, does not have a domestic violence law.”
— Shirin Sadeghi also tells of how Pakistani women have been “married” to inanimate objects and even pigeons to save their inheritance. Shirin Sadeghi reports: “The concept of marrying a female family member to an inanimate object, such as the Koran, or an animal, is too often employed to ensure that the inheritance will never be lost. ‘We had a case in Bhawalpur where the lady was married to a pigeon just to save the inheritance. I mean, what kind of Islam is that?’ Dr. Iram says.”
Pakistan: Report on Al-Huda International – “Many girls have been ‘transformed’ by Ms Hashmi who now believe in limiting their existence to the four walls of the house”
Pakistani Christians demand to repeal blasphemy law and voting rights neglected in proposed 18th Amendment
Philadelphia, USA: April 2, 2010. (PCP) Dr. Nazir S Bhatti, President of Pakistan Christian Congress PCC said that Muslims parties have again stabbed at back of 20 million Pakistani Christians by not repealing Blasphemy Law and awarding Dual Voting rights in proposed 18th amendment in constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
The Constitutional Reform Committee comprising of parliamentarians of Pakistan Peoples Party PPP. Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz PML(N), Pakistan Muslim League Quaid PML(Q), Muthida Qaumi Movement MQM, Awami National Party ANP, Jiamiat Ulma-e-Islam JUI(F), Pakistan Peoples Party Sherpao PPP(S) and others presented the draft legislation in reform of Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the Speaker of National Assembly of Pakistan here today.
According to sources close to PCP, it was learnt that Constitutional Reform Committee members agreed to amend Artcle 52-B which empowers President of Pakistan to dissolve Parliament and nominate Chief of Staff of Armed Forces of Pakistan, Renaming of NWFP, Article 6 shall be made more forceful, Governors shall be appointed from same provinces and Senate seats shall be 104 instead of 100. The four seats shall be allocated for minorities from four provinces.
There was no representation to minorities in Constitutional Reform Committee but Chairman of Standing Committee told media that minority parliamentarians were consulted and their recommendations were given due consideration.
The 20 million Pakistani Christians have demanded on every forum to repeal blasphemy law and direct voting right to elect their parliamentarians by their votes but both demands were neglected by Constitutional Reform Committee.
Nazir Bhatti said “The long list of amendments proposed and passed by Reform Committee fall short to Christians demands”
“ Senator Raza Rabbani, Chairman of Constitutional Reform Committee statement that minorities were consulted need clarification that weather Shahbaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities submitted revision in blasphemy law to committee as he is claiming since 2009 or not” said Nazir Bhatti
Dr. Bhatti said that allocation of 4 seats in Senate of Pakistan under Joint Electorate which empowers Muslim political parties to nominate and select their favorites from minorities shall be only benefit to Muslims groups who shall add these senators to their numbers in Senate of Pakistan.
“Muslim political groups have neglected Christian demands which is not good sign for democracy in Pakistan because safeguard of minority rights is first step to democratic system“ added Nazir Bhatti
Pakistan Christian Congress PCC demands to repeal blasphemy law and right to elect Christian representation in democratic institution and urges Christian members of National Assembly to raise their voice in house during debate on 18th amendment for legislation.
