Posted on 07/02/2002 3:35:49 AM PDT by knighthawk
MUZAFFARGARH: The virgin daughter of a labourer was gang-raped by four persons in the presence of about 1,000 people, following a ‘verdict’ by a ‘panchayat’ (local tribal council) in Moaza Meerwala Jatoi near here.
Members of the Mastoi tribe accused the girl’s eleven-year-old brother of having ‘illicit relations’ with another girl from the tribe. They then called upon the panchayat to decide on the issue and forced the boy’s father, Ghulam Fareed, to bring his daughter before the council, threatening to abduct and rape all the female members of his family if he did not comply.
When Mr Fareed brought his daughter before the council, which included Muhammad Ramzan Pujar and Ghulam Fareed Mastoi, it decided that in compensation the girl would be gang-raped by four persons, Abdul Khaliq Mastoi, Allah Ditta Mastoi, Punnu Mastoi and Ghulam Fareed Mastoi.
Consequently, the four men took the young girl into a room where they proceeded to gang rape her. Afterwards, she was ordered to go home naked. Around 1,000 people were gathered at the council; however, none dared speak up against the injustice. Some of them later told Daily Times that they had been threatened with death if they raised any objections.
Even though the incident occurred on June 22, the Jatoi police did not register a case until June 30. A delegation of lawyers from Jatoi and Alipur called on Jatoi Deputy Superintendent of Police Malik Saeed Awan and managed to get the case registered. Jatoi police Station House Officer Nazir Bubbar said all the members of the council would be arrested and punished, along with the actual perpetrators of the crime; however, no arrests have yet taken place.Meanwhile, the Women’s Action Forum (WAF) has issued a statement in Lahore saying it is shocked at the report of the rape.
The statement says WAF has been struggling for the elimination of the barbarous practices that result in heinous atrocities against women. “It is a cause of serious alarm that the informal systems dominating our rural and tribal areas perpetuate social injustices,” says the statement.
WAF has demanded an inquiry into the incident and has asked that all those involved be arrested and punished. It has also demanded that all those who reportedly stood by and allowed this heinous crime to take place should also be proceeded against. It has asked the government to take serious notice of the incident and to take immediate and determined and deterrent measures against all those responsible.
They are unarmed.
Yes. This is tribalism, not Islamic law. But their religion did not restrain them.
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