Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC), an NGO has published a report titled '‘The State of Pakistan’s Children 2004', as reported in today's
Daily Times. While the study contains many disturbing facts regarding the homeless children of Pakistan, one of the findings in the report stated that 1,549 cases of child sexual abuse were reported in Pakistan in 2004.
Over the years, child sexual abuse has become more and more rampant in Pakistan, or perhaps it is because more cases are now coming to light - yet of all the cases reported, this must only be a fraction of the actual number of cases. A lot of NGOs, especially Aangan has done a lot of work in trying to bring this issue to the surface, yet people are insistent on sweeping it under the carpet. Here in Pakistan, everyone from a religious teacher (known as Qari in Urdu) to a father has been found guilty of molesting a child, yet a few months later, they walk freely in the streets. BBC once did a report on it some years back, regarding the child prostitutes working in Peshawar, where they sold themselves for Rs. 50 (almost $1) or so.
What the government needs to do is stop relying on NGOs for a change, and make the process of reporting child sexual abuse cases easier, and implement legislation that gives the culprit instant death. Yes, death. Anyone who abuses a child deserves to get his/her head chopped into tiny little pieces and fed to the lions at the zoo.
Mukhtaran Mai.
From
Daily Times:
"I’ve done nothing wrong. If Pakistan has become notorious because of the way women are treated, then that’s not my fault, go and ask the men why that is," Mukhtar said.
Mr. President, listen to this woman who's suffered for years now and is still suffering at the hands of your government and more importantly, on YOUR orders. Fix the system, then worry about whether Pakistan will get a bad name abroad if Mukhtaran Mai leaves the country. Being the expert that you are on 'enlightened moderation', moderate the Pakistani man's libido.
I know this blog is about Pakistani politics - but this news story below affects Pakistan.
VHP asks Hindus to increase population
NEW DELHI: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Wednesday asked Hindus to be virile and increase their numbers to counter the “unbridled” growth in the Muslim population.
The ultra Hindu nationalist party’s central advisory board also demanded the Hindu holy book ‘Bhagwat Geeta’ be declared India’s national book and asked people to observe August 14 as ‘Akhand Bharat’ (United India Day).
Read the entire story
hereExpect Qazi Hussain Ahmed or Maulana Fazlur Rehman to beg Pakistanis to reproduce like rabbits any time soon.
From
Daily Times:
Student accused of ‘blasphemy’
JHANG: Police have registered a blasphemy case against a class six student in Garmaharaja, Jhang.
According to the FIR, Raza Abbas gave a ‘taweez’ to Fariyad Ali, a schoolmate, asking her to marry him. However, when the ‘taweez’ was later opened it contained blasphemous words against the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) companions. Police have registered a case under section 298-A and 16 MPO.
For the love of all that you hold holy, repeal the Blasphemy Law. Please.
Karachi burns.
I wasn't in Karachi the week the city burned - but here are a couple of moving comments on the tragedy:
BurnBloody MondayIs It May That Does This To Karachi?
Ladies and gentlemen, we have a new Prime Minister (like that was something unexpected):
From
The News:
Kasuri says Musharraf contest polls as civilian NEW DELHI: If Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf decides to contest the 2007 elections he will do so as a civilian, Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri has said.
Musharraf would give up his uniform if he decides to contest the 2007 polls, Kasuri told an Indian channel.
"The President himself was the first to admit that head of state should not be in uniform. He may contest the second term but I think it will be without the uniform because he has said so," Kasuri said.
Referring to Musharraf's speech on the issue, Kasuri said the President had given a few reasons for being in uniform and one of them was improvement of relations with India and the peace process, adding "there is a lot of merit in what he says."
