Tribal Custom of Burying Women Alive Defended in Senate

[HAIDER]

SLAMABAD, Aug 29: Balochistan Senator Sardar Israrullah Zehri stunned the upper house on Friday when he defended the recent incident of burying alive three teenage girls and two women in his province, saying it was part of “our tribal custom.”

Senator Bibi Yasmin Shah of the PML-Q raised the issue citing a newspaper report that the girls, three of them aged between 16 and 18 years, had been buried alive a month ago for wishing to marry of their own will.

The barbaric incident took place in a remote village of Jafarabad district and a PPP minister and some other influential people were reported to have been involved. The report accused the provincial government of trying to hush up the issue.

Ms Shah said that the hapless girls and the women were first shot in the name of honour and then buried while they were alive. She also said that no criminal had been arrested so far.

Acting Chairman of Senate Jan Mohammad Jamali, who was presiding over the session, said: “Yasmin Shah should go to our society and see for herself what the situation is like there and then come back to raise such questions in the house.”

Maulana Ghafoor Haideri of the JUI-F said there was no tradition of burying women alive in Baloch society because it was against Islam’s teachings.

Jamal Leghari of PML-Q emphatically stated that there was no custom of burying people alive, adding that the Baloch people did not believe in it.

Senator Jan Jamali commented: “This is a provincial matter and it is being investigated at the provincial level and let us wait for the report of the investigation.” Leader of the Opposition Kamil Ali Agha accused the Balochistan government of ignoring the incident and said no jirga could order the burying of women alive and no law allowed anyone to commit such a crime and go unpunished. He urged the government to punish the people involved in it.

Leader of the House Mian Raza Rabbani said: “We condemn the heinous act and assure the house that a complete report on the incident would be submitted on Monday.”

Burying of women alive defended in Senate -DAWN - Top Stories; August 30, 2008

[Flintlock]

Burying alive? You learn something new every day.

[Neo]

Unbelievable!

I think I've just had enough of these dark age tribal customs. Whats there to honor when humanity fails?
I hope they find these 'influential' guys and bring them to justice: A slow and painful death!

[AgNoStIc MuSliM]

Who the FF%$ do these Sardars think they are?

Against religion, law and common decency.

Seriously, is there any doubt over why the militancy in Baluchistan is led by the likes of Bugti?

Sardars who stand to lose their private jails, torture centers and militias and their unchallenged authority over the lives of the people on the lands they reign over as perverted monarchs.

[Cheetah786]

Originally Posted by AgNoStIc MuSliM

Who the FF%$ do these Sardars think they are?

Against religion, law and common decency.

Seriously, is there any doubt over why the militancy in Baluchistan is led by the likes of Bugti?

Sardars who stand to lose their private jails, torture centers and militias and their unchallenged authority over the lives of the people on the lands they reign over as perverted monarchs.

Wow i thought it was a common knowledge But i guess not Most sardars aren't Muslims(Islam takes away there self given powers so how one can expect them to follow Islam)At there jirga Meetings pork is a favorite dish and washing it down with Home made alcohol (sardars drink imported stuff out of Dubai).

[araz]

Irrespective of what the Sardars eat and drink or not, it is a heinous crime and wreaks of moral degradation of draconian proportions. It is not surprising that a midevil, and archaic system kept alive for the benefit of a few is responsible for such acts.
One of the most productive things that India did post division was to abolish massive land holdings, and abolish states within states. Whether the design was nefarious is another debate , but it broke the hold of the land lord over the masses.
The Sardari system should be abolished, and land holdings should be taxed. This is the only way of getting rid of the modern day Pharoahs.
WaSalam
Araz

[su-47]

absolutely horrifying. to think such people exist in this world.

i hope they are bought to justice, and may the souls of the victims rest in peace.

[Cheetah786]

Originally Posted by araz

Irrespective of what the Sardars eat and drink or not, it is a heinous crime and wreaks of moral degradation of draconian proportions. It is not surprising that a midevil, and archaic system kept alive for the benefit of a few is responsible for such acts.
One of the most productive things that India did post division was to abolish massive land holdings, and abolish states within states. Whether the design was nefarious is another debate , but it broke the hold of the land lord over the masses.
The Sardari system should be abolished, and land holdings should be taxed. This is the only way of getting rid of the modern day Pharoahs.
WaSalam
Araz

90% of your politicians are either sardars or industrlaist you think they will decide to destroy them self Not a chance.

(It was Mao, after all, who created modern China out of an assemblage of rival regions and feuding warlords.

This brilliant military strategist, politician, historian, and poet played the key role in defeating first the Japanese Empire, then driving out the U.S.-backed Nationalists of Chiang Kai-shek. Mao managed to keep both Soviet and United States influence out of China.)

And thats what pakistan need Really bad right now a pakistani Mao.

[roadrunner]

There's no such ritual as this in Pakistan.

[Keysersoze]

Originally Posted by roadrunner

There's no such ritual as this in Pakistan.

Then why are there discussions in the Senate and a Pakistani newspaper reporting it?

[dr.umer]

DAWN Editorial
Aug 31, 2008

'Taliban' in the Senate

SENATOR Israrullah Zehri’s defence of a barbaric incident involving the burying alive of five women in Balochistan smacks of a medieval mindset — and one that is totally in tune with the Taliban’s own obscurant worldview. It takes one back nine years when similarly regressive-minded legislators in the Senate refused to condemn the ‘honour’ killing of Samia Sarwar who was shot dead at the behest of her own parents over a marriage-related issue in 1999. At the time, a fair number of senators who had initially agreed to support a resolution condemning Samia Sarwar’s murder backed out at the eleventh hour under pressure from their respective political parties’ leadership, leaving only four brave ones to raise their voice against the killing. Clearly, then, this mindset that trivialises the sanctity of human life — especially if the life is that of a woman — and is dominated so easily by the interests of those who wield political, economic and social clout, is not confined to the representatives of the backward provinces alone. It has come to be a national state of mind.

In the recent case, three of the five women were going to contract a court marriage with men of their choice against the wishes of their tribal elders, when they were killed. Unfortunately, because of the alleged involvement of a political figure, the report of their death was suppressed, with the police even refusing to register an FIR. Can we hope for corrective steps to be taken, the case thoroughly investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice regardless of their political and feudal stripes? Considering our sad track record vis-à-vis human rights, this could be wishful thinking. For in a tribal order where traditions involving human rights violations are not even condemned, let alone rooted out, how can we hope for the miracle of justice for the oppressed — especially women — or for the reformation of a society in dire need of change?

While Senator Zehri staunchly defended the incident as a tribal custom, Senator Jamal Leghari chose to bury his head in the sand saying that no Baloch could carry out such a reprehensible act. A cursory look at statistics shows us how wrong he is. Honour killings are rampant across the country — Balochistan is no exception — with women, already in a position of economic and social disadvantage, being the main victims. The facts are undeniable; and it is inexcusable that those who have the power to change things for the better and to discourage primitive customs should refuse to even acknowledge them. Others turn a blind eye to the abhorrent practice for purely political expediency. The government talks ad nauseam about the need to counter the threat of Talibanisation. But it chooses not to recognise, and therefore to condemn, similar traits in mindsets and practices that are not linked to religion alone. It would do well to come out of its self-inflicted stupor to condemn those who perpetuate myths about the sanctity of traditions. A beginning could be made in the two Houses of parliament.

[araz]

Originally Posted by Cheetah786

90% of your politicians are either sardars or industrlaist you think they will decide to destroy them self Not a chance.

(It was Mao, after all, who created modern China out of an assemblage of rival regions and feuding warlords.

This brilliant military strategist, politician, historian, and poet played the key role in defeating first the Japanese Empire, then driving out the U.S.-backed Nationalists of Chiang Kai-shek. Mao managed to keep both Soviet and United States influence out of China.)

And thats what pakistan need Really bad right now a pakistani Mao.

marey Bhai
Nobody will descend from the heavens to help us. we have to help ourselves first then Allah will provide us help. With deeds like these you are seeking devine vengeance not clemency.
As to the lanlords not harming their own interests, there is a trend now for industrialists to enter into politics. Soon this balance will change and we will hopefully have the necesssary people in the assembly to vote for land taxation. At least it remains my dream.
Araz

[roadrunner]

Originally Posted by Keysersoze

Then why are there discussions in the Senate and a Pakistani newspaper reporting it?

The Pakistani newspapers tend to report what they want to get a story. Fact isn't very important. Though it does mention this.

"Jamal Leghari of PML-Q emphatically stated that there was no custom of burying people alive, adding that the Baloch people did not believe in it."

"Maulana Ghafoor Haideri of the JUI-F said there was no tradition of burying women alive in Baloch society because it was against Islam’s teachings.

That's also my opinion. I've never heard of such a custom in Pakistan.

What has happened is that a PPP official from the government is involved in the incident, and some of those in government are trying to hush it up by claiming it's a tribal custom (even if it were it's still illegal).

The barbaric incident took place in a remote village of Jafarabad district and a PPP minister and some other influential people were reported to have been involved. The report accused the provincial government of trying to hush up the issue.

[muse]

Welcome to the tribalization of Pakistan. No longer is the legislature an institution that seeks to identify and seperate right and wrong, good and bad - in fact note that good/bad, right and wrong simply do not exist - what does exist is identity as a tribe and within the tribe right and wrong and good and bad are subordinate to taboo.

Well, Ok - why get worked up for those who are not themselves bothered. Even God seems to have washed his hands - powerful ideas such as liberty and criticism are a waste on tribal lords.

Be can be sure that Pakistani talk shows won't linger on this issue either, no Musharraf to blame, no America, no Allah to blame - so I guess all is fine.

Road runner says that there is no such custom because Islam forbids it - as if tribal custom and Islam were the same thing - but of course they are not.

[salman nedian]

It’s a mark of shame for the country. Those who are responsible must be immediately punished. This kind of inhuman act is unjustifiable and I am surprised to see that Senator Sardar Israrullah Zehri is justifying it.